FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Record Run in Athens
In a rare victory for a non-Kenyan in a major marathon, Abdelkerim Boubker
of Morocco won the Athens Classic Marathon on Sunday morning, taking
exactly one minute off the event record, with 2.11.40. Boubker, 30, had to
overcome more than the all-conquering Kenyans, and one of the toughest
courses in the world. He also had to contend with some of the worst
conditions in the 30 year history of the revived event. There was the
expected tailwind off the Aegean Seas for some of the way on the road from
Marathon to Athens, but the cold, wet and swirling breeze elsewhere more
than cancelled any advantage, and with temperatures barely reaching 10C, it
was a hard way to set a personal best in only his second marathon.
Proof of Boubker's quality run was the damage behind him. It looked in the
early stages that defending champion, Raymond Bett of Kenya was running at
the back of the group of six, simply pursuing the tactics that brought him
victory and a race record last year. But he was first to drop off the lead
group, at 23k, and like several of the other elite entry eventually dropped
out.
Of the survivors following Boubker's surge at 31k, Sammy Chumba of Kenya
hung in longest, and finished second in 2.13.27. Daniel Gatheru of Ethiopia
dropped off the lead group early, but fought back to finish third in
2.16.12. The Ukrainians, Andriy Naumov and Andrii Toptun were fourth and
fifth; and Allan Ndiwa of Kenya, who shared the pace until 30k carried on
to finish sixth in his marathon debut.
Boubker was well aware of the event history. "This is the highlight of my
career," he said through an interpreter. "I always felt good through the
race, and became more and more confident that I could win. I prepared
especially hard for this race. But to win this race, and finish in this
stadium makes me very proud".
Second placed Chumba summed up the difficulty of a course, which rises from
the sea at Marathon, for almost half of the 42.195k of the distance to
Athens. "I think I'm capable of 2.08 on another course," said Chumba, who
was five minutes slower here. "The Moroccans are not as strong collectively
as the Kenyans, but he (Boubker) is strong, very strong".
Unbeaten in his first two marathons - his debut in Leiden, in the
Netherlands, in May, and now here in Athens - Boubker, a native of
Casablanca plans to race at home in Morocco for his third marathon, in
Marrakech at the end of January.
The women's race was competitive to within view of the finish at the
Panatheniko, the antique marble stadium, venue for the 1896 Olympic Games,
for which the marathon race was invented. Elfneshe Melaku of Ethiopia and
Kamila Khanipova of Ukraine ran shoulder to should for close to 42k, before
Melaku sprinted away, to win in 2.35.25, with the Ukrainian just six
seconds back. Amira Benamor of Tunisia was third in 2.42.15.
The pre-race celebrations included the lighting of the Olympic Flame in
Marathon by Spiridon Louis, the grandson of the first Olympic marathon
champion, after whom he is named. The concurrent IAAF/AIMS symposium, in
the town of Marathon itself, concentrated this year on Health Matters and
Medical Services for Long Distance Runners, and included speakers from
marathons in Brazil, Austria, Spain and Greece.
RESULTS
MEN
Pos/bib Name Country Time
1 3 Abdelkerim BOUBKER MOR 2.11.40
2 16 Sammy CHUMBA KEN 2.13.27
3 18 Daniel GATHERU ETH 2.16.12
4 6 Andriy NAUMOV UKR 2.17.32
5 7 Andrii TOPTUN UKR 2.18.12
6 15 Allan NDIWA KEN 2.18.16
WOMEN
1 105 Elfeneshe MELKAMU ETH 2.35.25
2 106 Kamila KHANIPOVA UKR 2.35.31
3 108 Amira BENAMOR TUN 2.42.15
4 107 Alena VINNISTSKAYA UKR 2.44.52
5 603 Sofia RIGA GRE 2.45.43
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