FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Barefoot in Rome - Rain-Soaked in Beijing
Another Victory for Ethopian Siraj, Following in the Footsteps of Legends
Gena Siraj of Ethiopia won a rain-lashed Beijing Marathon on Sunday
morning, but the 25 year old only eased clear of 38 year old Gert Thys of
South Africa in the final kilometre; and the dreadful conditions resulted
in a winning time of 2.15.45, one of the slowest times in the event's 30
year history.
Thys, in what he reckoned was probably his 40th marathon in a career that
began at the age of 13, finished second in 2.15.56 and pacemaker Matthew
Sigei of Kenya stayed in the reckoning after his stint at the front, and
came back from sixth place with 10k to run, to finish third in 2.16.01
The Chinese can control many things, including it seems the potential
showers which might have ruined the Olympic opening ceremony two years ago.
But truly bad weather is beyond anyone's aegis. The tail-end of a typhoon
from the south east colliding with a cold front from the north-west left
many of the competitors shivering and cramping even before they had
finished the race.
Siraj managed to get out through chattering teeth, "I thought I could win
at the 35 kilometre point," before he went off to doping control. His
coach, Haji Adillo Roba added, "He trained and prepared really well for
this. In good weather I think he can do two-six, two-seven (2.06/07)".
Last year's winner and race favorite, Sammy Mugo dropped off the pace at
35k, and finished sixth. He said, "It wasn't too bad for the first 10k, but
the temperature dropped during the race, and with the water splashing up on
our legs, I started to cramp, and that slowed me down".
Winner Siraj comes from Arsi in southern Ethiopia, the same province as the
legendary Haile Gebrselassie. But it was another Ethiopian legend he
invoked in winning his breakthrough race in Rome earlier this year. In
honour of the great Abebe Bikila, who won his first Olympic title, running
barefoot in Rome 1960, Siraj took off his shoes with 50 metres to run in
the Eternal City six months ago, and still won in 2.08.39.
There was almost another Olympic city coincidence for Thys. He looked good
throughout, and seemed as if he might emulate Romanian Constantina Dita who
won the Olympic title here two years ago, at the age of 38. But Thys tailed
off just before 41k, as the leaders passed the Bird's Nest, and headed for
the finish in the old (but still very impressive) national stadium just
south of the Olympic venue.
The women's race was a one-two for China. Former winner Chen Rong was a
long-time leader, with her colleague and training partner Wang Jiali
nowhere to be seen. But Wang appeared on the close horizon with 35 of the
42.195k completed, and swept past her pal shortly afterwards, to win in
2.29.31, fifteen seconds ahead of Chen. Another Chinese, Wang Xiao Shu was
third in 2.30.21, and the People's Republic dominated proceedings, with
eight in the top ten.
A light drizzle had already slicked the streets prior to the 08.00 start in
a Tiananmen Square illumined by two giant screens whose high definition was
in stark contrast to the prevailing murk. But minutes after the start, the
rain began to fall in earnest, followed 30 minutes later by a drop in
temperature which was to make the race even more of a trial. But though he
seemed after the race to have suffered more than his immediate pursuers,
Siraj was more than equal to the race for first, and he goes back to his
now home of Addis Ababa to consider the next move in his chase after the
running legends.
RESULTS
place/name country time prize
MEN
1 Gena SIRAJ ETH 2.15.45
2 Gert THYS SAF 2.15.56
3 Matthew SIGEI KEN 2.16.01
4 HE Ping PRC 2.16.52
5 TIAN Menxu PRC 2.17.31
6 Sammy MUGO KEN 2.17.49
7 YAN Longfei PRC 2.17.52
8 Nicholas KANAKYA KEN 2.18.13
9 UMEKI Kurao JPN 2.18.41
10 YIN Shunjin PRC 2.18.57
WOMEN
1 WANG Jiali PRC 2.29.31
2 CHEN Rong PRC 2.29.46
3 WANG Xiao Shu PRC 2.30.21
4 WEI Yanan PRC 2.30.46
5 Winfrida NYANSIKERA KEN 2.32.50
6 SUN Weiwei PRC 2.33.46
7 JIANG Xiaoli PRC 2.33.56
8 CHANG Jinxue PRC 2.34.15
9 Olesya NURGALIEVA RUS 2.34.37
10 CHEN Hui Rong PRC 2.35.41
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