FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
INJURED KIBET SHATTERS SINGAPORE RECORD
Luke Kibet hobbled away from the finish of the Standard Chartered Singapore
Marathon this morning. But the former world champion had staved off a
troublesome achilles' tendon long enough to shatter his own course record,
and win in 2.11.25, an achievement made even more extraordinary by the 31C
heat and 77% humidity.
When he won last year, in 2.13.01, he beat young Kenyan colleague Johnstone
Chepkwony by over two minutes. This morning, Kibet needed a sprint finish
to keep Chepkwony at bay.
A repeat one-two seemed unlikely before the race, given the vastly improved
field, tempted to endure the atmospheric conditions by the lure of
US$35,000 first prize, with $19,000 for second, and $10,000 for third.
Accordingly, a dozen or more men set out with intent, and were a minute up
on record pace after 10k. Vincent Krop, better known as a half-marathoner
had agreed to take the pace, with the intention of finishing the race, if
he felt OK.
He certainly fulfilled all expectations when he finished third. But so did
Kibet. He had forecast that if the improved field worked together, and Krop
did his job, even in the warm conditions, a sub-2.12 was possible.
By 30k, everything was falling into place. Kibet favouring his left
achilles' tendon had kept in the lee of the pack, while Krop, Leonard
Mucheru, and Chepkwony had forced the pace.
Mucheru was first to drop, at 36k, followed by Krop, just before 40k. Kibet
then tested Chepkwony with a surge, to which the 25 year old responded. But
it obviously told Kibet all he needed to know, because when they entered
the finishing straight together, the 2007 world champion eased away to
victory, with Chepkwony finishing second, in a personal best 2.11.33. Krop
was also under the previous record, in 2.11.51. And a former winner, John
Kelai finished fourth in 2.13.16.
"I was protecting my achilles', so I stayed behind at first," said Kibet.
"I was waiting for the kick. This year was less humid, so we were able to
run faster, but it is still difficult conditions. I think I will have to go
back to Germany for treatment, to Dr Mueller (Wohlfahrt), but I'd like to
race again next April".
As for the conditions, which are perennially difficult in Singapore,
second-place Chepkwony was in no doubt. "Two-eleven here is like 2.06, 2.07
in a cooler place".
Lyubov Morgunova of Russia thought she had done more than enough to win the
women's event. But the Muscovite veteran of over 40 marathons had reckoned
without her young compatriot, Albina Mayorova-Ivanova.
Morgunova, 38, had taken up the running after a slowish first 10k, and her
attritional pace had put paid to a posse of pursuers, until only Magdalene
Chemjor of Kenya was left in contention. A couple of steady accelerations
put paid to Chemjor's hopes, and she faded to seventh. And the last 10k
looked like a formality for Morgunova. Until Mayorova-Ivanova hove onto the
horizon, and started closing the gap with startling speed.
From 10th at halfway, in 1.17.28, over a half minute behind the leaders,
she caught Morgunova by 35k, and ran a ‘negative split' – a faster second
half – of 1.15.21, to win easily in 2.32.49, second only to Salina Kosgei's
2.31.55 in 2006.
"This is very important for my career, to win coming back after my first
baby," said Mayorova-Ivanova. "I felt very comfortable at halfway, and I
could still see the leaders, that they weren't going away. This is a good
time for the conditions".
Morgunova hung in to finish second in 2.34.49, and Mary Akor Beasley of the
USA was a surprise third, in 2.36.44. But she collapsed over the finish
line, and had to be stretchered off to recover.
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