FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Pat Butcher
+44 7900 243460
Super Salina
singapore, sunday, december 3, 05.00gmt
Salina Kosgei of Kenya was the star of the show at the Standard Chartered
Singapore Marathon early Sunday morning. Kosgei, 29 was favourite to win
the women's race, but the elegant Kenyan delivered the goods in style,
breaking the course record by almost three minutes, in 2.31.55, an
exceptional time in the conditions, 25C heat and close to 100% humidity
right from the 6am start.
There was another course record in the men's race – for the third year in
succession – and the first repeat winner in the history of the event, when
Amos Matui of Kenya again beat Ashebir Demissu of Ethiopia in the final
stages, to win in 2.15.01.
Whereas Matui and Demissu made it a race right to the final kilometre,
Kosgei's was virtually a solo run to victory. She stayed with the lead
group, including last year's winner, Irina Timofeyeva of Russia over the
first seven kilometres, before making a break.
"I was feeling quite easy, and I realised the weather conditions were good
for here, so I decided to take the lead. But I still made sure I drank lots
of water," said Kosgei at the finish, where she was so untroubled that was
able to chat with fans, and pose for pictures with husband, Barnabas
Kinyor, 1990 Commonwealth 400mH bronze medallist, and their two children,
Billy, 10, and Ruth, 4. All around her, athletes were prostrate from heat
exhaustion.
Yet, as Kosgei indicated, it was relatively cool and overcast by
Singaporean standards, compared to last year, for example, when
temperatures reached close to 30C in bright sunshine. That will make her
performance such a difficult one to match. "I think I could have been under
2.30 in 'normal' conditions," she said, a reserved observation since she
finished second in Berlin three months ago, in a personal best of 2.23.22.
Timofeyeva suffered from foot problems in the final stage, and limped
across the line. Nevertheless, she was half a dozen seconds faster than her
winning time last year, with 2.34.35. "I ran Paris in these shoes, without
any problem" she said through an interpreter afterwards. "But the soles
were too thin for the road surface here. But I couldn't have challenged the
winner anyway," she admitted. Emily Kimuria of Kenya was third in 2.38.37.
The men's race was virtually a carbon copy of last year, except that
Demissu never went clear, as he did with 10k to run in 2005. Matui caught
him in the last 200 metres then. But the Kenyan decided to make absolutely
sure this year, and took off at 41k. He was 'flying' at the finish, and
rewarded with the cachet of first repeat winner of either race.
"I wasn't confident I would win, but I decided to stay with the Ethiopian
after 25k this year. I was really trying in the last kilometre," said
Matui. "I'm going to go back home, sit down and have a think, then decide
what my plans are. But I'd like to run in Boston or London next year".
Demissu was philosophical about his successive second place here, in
2.15.08. "He beat me last year, he beat me this year," he said shrugging,
as if to say, 'what can I say?'. "It was still a fantastic race, easier
than last year, but still hot". He plans to run Paris next Spring.
Abel Kirui ran Berlin as a pacemaker in September, and went on to finish in
just over 2.17, so this was effectively his first serious marathon, the
Kenyan acquitting himself better than the other two dozen of his
compatriots who made the long trip east. Kirui, who trains with New York
and Boston winner, Rogers Rop was third in 2.15.22. All three beat Matui's
course record of 2.15.57 from last year.
Kosgei and Matui won US$25,000 for their victories, out of a prize pot of
close to $150,000, and it was Kenyans all the way, with winners in both
races, and eight of the men's top ten. The second wave of popular
marathoning has certainly made its mark in south-east Asia. Overall entries
for the full and half marathon, and 10k were 30% up this year, with over
30,000 runners.
RESULTS
PLACE/NAME BIB No COUNTRY TIME PRIZE
MEN
1 Amos MUTAI 134 KENYA 2.15.01 25000US$
2 Ashebier DEMISSU 111 ETHIOPIA 2.15.08 15000
3 Abel KIRUI 126 KENYA 2.15.22 8000
4 Eric YETOR 19 KENYA 2.16.33 5000
5 Francis KI P 20 KENYA 2.18.22 4000
6 David KIPTANUI 129 KENYA 2.19.02 2500
7 Charles YABEI 179 KENYA 2.19.34 2500
8 Paul KIPTANUI 34 KENYA 2.20.58 1500
9 Stephen MUCHIRI 135 KENYA 2.21.03 1500
10 Yirefu BIRHANU 192 ETHIOPIA 2.21.11 1000
WOMEN
1 Salina KOSGEI 148 KENYA 2.31.55 25000
2 Irina TIMOFEYEVA 163 RUSSIA 2.34.35 12000
3 Emily KIMURIA 182 KENYA 2.38.37 6000
4 Rose NYANGACHA 50 KENYA 2.39.42 4000
5 Kotu GEMEDA 52 ETHIOPIA 2.43.40 3000
6 Pa PA 67 MYANMAR 2.47.59 2000
7 Banuelia KATESWIGA 54 TANZANIA 2.48.26 1500
8 Doruta GRUCA 62 POLAND 2.50.06 1000
9 Olga GLOCK 61 RUSSIA 2.52.48 500
10 Maija ORAVAMKI 115 FINLAND 2.52.53 500
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