FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NGETICH WINS BATTLE FROM MARATHON TO ATHENS
If the Battle of Marathon had been scheduled for today, the Persians would
not even have made it off their boats, to line up against the Athenians,
such were the choppy seas and torrential rain on the bay of the famous
location this morning.
It was left to the runners in the Athens Classic Marathon, to battle the
elements instead. Josephat Kipkirui Ngetich proved the best of the
inheritors of the legend of Phillipides (who reputedly ran to Athens with
news of the victory, then expired). On one of the toughest courses in the
world, the 23 year old Kenyan, in only his second marathon improved his
personal best by over three minutes, to win in 2.13.44, the second fastest
time in the race's 26 year history.
Ngetich had dropped 25 metres behind the leaders, colleague Edwin Kipchom
and Ethiopian Alemayehu Ameta after 28 kilometres, but he rallied shortly
afterwards, and by 35k was engaged in a head to head with Ameta, with
Kipchom 100 metres behind.
But the Ethiopian cracked completely in the last five kilometres. Kipchom
came past to finish second in 2.14.18, which would still have been a course
record prior to last year. A third Kenyan, Pius Mutuku was third in
2.14.139, and Ameta was fourth in 2.14.51.
At least the torrential early morning rain relented to a steady downpour
for the start and the first hour, and the sun even broke through as Ngetich
broke away from his final opponent.
Pointing to his thin woolly hat, Ngetich, 23 said, "At least it kept me
cool when the sun came out. I thought I could win at 35k. The rain wasn't
really a problem, but the course is tough".
Not 'arf, as they say in south London. After a flat start, which takes the
runners round the tomb of the Athenian soldiers who died in the celebrated
battle in 490BCE, the road from Marathon to Athens climbs from 10k to 31k,
which is to say, a half-marathon uphill, before the gentle decline into the
city, with the finish in the atmospheric Panathenaiko, the marble stadium
built for the inaugural modern Olympics in 1896.
The runners are usually in no state to appreciate either scenery on the
way, or the exotic stadium at the finish. But Akemi Ozaki of Japan was
overjoyed to have won the women's race on what she called, "this historic
course".
Ozaki ran a cannier race than even Ngetich. She tracked the leading trio of
Natalia Volgina of Russia, Sviatlana Kouhan of Belarus, and Ethiopian
Eshetu Degefa through halfway before dropping away at 30k. "They put on a
sprint, but I decided it was wiser to run at a steady pace," she said after
picking up the winner's trophy.
It certainly paid off, she was back with the leaders within two kilometres,
broke away with Degefa at 35k, and went away from the Ethiopian with three
kilometres to run. "I was a little worried at first, because the surface
was really slippery with the rain. But when I got to 39k, I said to myself,
now is the time to really run".
Ozaki, 32, won in 2.39.56, Degefa was second in 2.40.32, and Kouhan third
in 2.40.54.
Next year's event promises to be even more special than Ozaki already felt.
The year 2010 is the 2500th anniversary of the Battle of Marathon, a little
skirmish described by many historians as the most crucial event in European
history. But it is also an opportunity for every marathon runner to come
and pay their respects to the place (and the time) where their event truly
began. But you'd better be sharp, because entries will be limited.
RESULTS
Place/bib number/country/time
MEN
1 16 Josephat K Ngetich KEN 2.13.44
2 8 Edwin KIPCHOM KEN 2.14.18
3 5 Pius Mutuku KEN 2.14.39
4 13 Alemayehu AMETA ETH 2.14.51
5 2 Philemon ROTICH KEN 2.16.14
6 12 Michael CHEMCHIR KEN 2.16.37
7 7 Masaru TAKAMIZAWA JAP 2.17.24
8 18 Emmanuel TIROP KEN 2.19.02
9 6 John MALUNI KEN 2.19.30
10 17 Michael KORONEI KEN 2.21.49
WOMEN
1 Akemi OZAKI JAP 2.39.56
2 Eshetu DEGEFA ETH 2.40.32
3 Sviatlana KOUHAN BLR 2.40.54
4 Natalia VOLGINA RUS 2.41.48
5 Georgia AMPATZIDOU GRE 2.44.23
6 Magdalini GAZEA GRE 2.44.28
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