FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mary Keitany Destroys Kiplagat World Record
As "Titanic" Struggles Become Exhibition Runs In RAK
Portuguese soccer manager Jose Mourinho likes to describe himself as "The
Special One"; well now maybe this tiny corner of the United Arab Emirates
should describe itself as just that. This morning after the 7am start, with
the sun hardly poking over the nearby Hajjar Mountains, Kenya's Mary
Keitany tore round this clockwise loop course to record 1:05:50 and rip no
less than 35 seconds off Lornah Kiplagat's 2007 world record for the half
marathon, set when winning the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships at
Udine, Italy in October 2007. Pocketing first place prize money of $25,000
plus the world record bonus of $50,000 as well, Keitany can target her next
race at the Virgin London Marathon on April 17th with significantly
increased optimism. Although the best of the men and winning in 59:25 a few
minutes earlier, Deriba Merga had to accept that his performance turned out
to be almost the support act.
From the outset the tiny 29 year old Keitany, herself a former IAAF world
half marathon champion (Birmingham 2009), made her intentions clear,
following pacemaker Simon Tonui in this mixed race through splits that saw
one other world record and two world bests for good measure en route. Her
historic first sub 66 minute time came after she'd gone through 8km in
24:30 (World Best), 15km in 46:40, 10 miles in 50:05 (World Best, depending
on which "code" you follow*) and 20km in 1:02:36 (World Record).
With a slight breeze coming from the east, but in conditions that were
otherwise perfect (approximately 17C at the start), she looked relaxed as
she passed through 5km in 15:18, already 5 seconds up on Dire Tune, the
winner here two years ago and the current world record holder for One Hour
on a track. She remained cool through 10km (30:45, so a 15:27 split) and
then through 12km (37:04), that latter time later found to be 4m short; but
for that slight measuring anomaly (parked cars during original measure
being the culprit) she'd have lopped over a minute from Lineth Chepkurui's
38:07 mark set at San Francisco in May last year. But it was in the second
half that she started to do the real damage as she held the pace well.
With a stated target tempo of 3:08 per kilometre, she was clearly way ahead
of schedule before half way, but it was the 15km split (46:40, so a 15:55)
and then 10 mile split (50:05) that showed her resilience - the second of
those times a world best by over a minute and a half on Teyiba Erkesso's
2007 Washington DC "Cherryblossom 10 Miler" clocking of 51:43. The slight
slowing to 20km was forgivable but her 1:02:36 (15:56) at that point was
still 21 seconds faster than Lornah Kiplagat's world record mark of 62:57
set en route at Udine.
With the home straight almost a kilometre long, on making the final turn
Keitany could see the finish and pushed hard for home. Memories of her
effort in New Delhi 18 months previously, where she'd been on world record
schedule up to 16km, evaporated as the sun climbed and the gulf between
herself and Tune, now over three minutes down, continued to grow. With
Tonui having stepped off the road at 20km, she tore through the final 1.1km
in 3:24 to set the new record figures, seemingly still full of running. Cue
bedlam at the Finish, with Tune still over 3 minutes away and with the
hundreds of spectators gathered near the Finish able to enjoy the unfolding
of the race via live big-screen coverage.
For their part, despite the first three breaking 60 minutes, the men had to
accept it was ladies day in RAK this year. But for awful pace judgement yet
again, it might have been different; Merga as ever, pushed hard from the
gun and by 5km, passed in 13:37, he was alone. His remarkable 10km split of
27:31 (13:54) came after a world best 8km time of 21:51 and preceded a
"12km" clocking of 33:08 that would have (but for the missing 4m), been a
world best by a full 38 seconds!
Charging through 10 miles in 44:53 (fourth fastest ever) the 28 year old,
who'd run an impressive 41:48 "club" competition 15km just last week, was
beginning to show signs of paying the penalty for the over-exuberant first
10km and any thought of a world record was gone. None the less Merga, who
insisted when advised to hold back on the day before the race that "I just
like to lead!", passed 20km in 56:16 and had enough margin on the duelling
duo of Bernard Kipyego (13:56, 28:04, 42:34, 45:44(10m), and 56:47) and
Leonard Langat (13:47, 28:05, 42:35, 45:44 (10m), and 56:49) to stay well
clear. His victorious mark of 59:25, comes after third places in RAK in
2007 and 2009, and was his seventh sub-60 half marathon clocking.
One day, Deriba Merga, who confirmed he's 28 and no older, will get his
spread of effort right - and only then will records of real significance
come his way. But after a difficult 2010 (DNF'd in Chicago and Chunchon
Marathons: "I had constantly sore thighs and hips for much of the year."),
it is clear that this relative late-comer is back in fine form and that
there is a great deal more to come.
For the fifth consecutive year, the RAK Half Marathon has produced winning
men's times of under 60 minutes and with over 2,600 entries this February,
it continues to grow at a healthy rate. Looking to improve your half
marathon best? RAK is special - and ready to let you rock!
Keitany splits: 5km 15:18 // 10km 30:45 // 15km 46:40 // 10m 50:05 // 20km
1:02:26 // Finish: 1:05:50
* Accepted "world best" times for 10 miles vary enormously, depending on
which criteria you follow and this really ought to be tidied up, although
as the IAAF don't recognise the 10 miles distance for world records, this
could be construed as a mute point. ARRS believe Teyiba Erkesso (ETH) in
2007 at Washington DC's "Cherryblossom 10 Miler" is the best clocking
(51:43.4), while others think that the 50:39 of Linet Masai (KEN) at the
Amsterdam - Zaandam race on 20 Sep 09 (but point to point), is the mark to
respect.
Top Ten Results: Position / Name / Nation / Prize Money / Time
Men
1st Deriba Merga (ETH) $25k 59:25
2nd Bernard Kipyego (KEN) $12k 59:45
3rd Leonard Langat (KEN) $9k 59:52 pb
4th John Kiprotich (KEN) $5k 1:00:10
5th Titus Masai (KEN) $4k 1:00:40
6th Getu Feleke (ETH) $3k 1:01:28
7th Maregu Terefe (ETH) $2k 1:02:03
8th Dickson Marwa (TAN) $1.5k 1:02:04
9th Hafid Chani (MOR) $1k 1:02:23 pb
10th Alemayehu Shumye (ETH) $500 1:02:58pb
Women
Mary Keitany (KEN) $25k + $50k WR 1:05:50 (WR)
Dire Tune (ETH) $12k 1:08:52
Mare Dibaba (ETH) $9k 1:08:57
Rose Kosgei (KEN) $5k 1:09:04
Agnes Kiprop (KEN) $4k 1:09:11
Hilda Kibet (NED) $3k 1:09:35
Sultan Haydar (TUR) $2k 1:10:02 debut
Eunice Kales (KEN) $1.5k 1:10:41
Christelle Daunay (FRA) $1k 1:11:14
Aniko Kalovics (HUN) $500 1:13:45
The RAK Half Marathon 2011 is presented by Saqr Port and supported by
Saucony, Al Ain Water, RAK Hospital, Sport 360, Men's Fitness, Shape and
RAK Police.
Organized by Premier Marathons www.premiermarathons.com
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