Wakenya washinda tena Boston Marathon!

[Ab-Titchaz]

Korir, Cherop win Boston Marathon titles

Men's elite field heads out during the start of the 116th running of the Boston Marathon April 16, 2012

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By AFP
Posted Monday, April 16 2012 at 19:19


Kenya's Wesley Korir and Sharon Cherop captured titles at the 116th Boston Marathon on Monday in heat that slowed the pace of world-class racers trying to impress Olympic selectors.

Korir won the slowest men's race since 2007 and second-slowest since 1985 in an official time of 2hr 12min 40sec, closing in the final mile to pass countryman Levy Matebo.

Matebo settled for second in 2:13:06, seven seconds ahead of third-place Bernard Kipyego of Kenya, with American Jason Hartmann fourth in 2:14:31.

Cherop led a Kenyan women's podium sweep as well, winning in 2:31:50 to edge Jemima Jelagat Sumgong by two seconds, with Georgina Rono third in 2:33:09. Ethiopia's Firehiwot Dado was fourth in 2:34:56.

The race gave top runners a chance to impress their homeland Olympic selection committees with barely three months to go before the London Games.

Korir, 29, was well off the personal best of 2:06:15 he set in finishing second to compatriot Moses Mosop in last year's Chicago Marathon.

The two-time Los Angeles Marathon winner is living in the United States and seeking US citizenship.

He is married to Canadian runner Tarah McKay and their daughter McKayLA's name combines his wife's maiden name and LA for his wins there.

Cherop, 28, was third last year at Boston in 2:22:42 and shaved three seconds off that time last January at Dubai for a new personal best.

She collected prior marathon triumphs at Hamburg and Toronto in 2010.

Organizers had warned novice marathoners not to race over concerns about heat but a field of 22,426 started the 26.2-mile journey from 26,716 original entrants.

Defending men's champion Geoffrey Mutai, a Kenyan who ran the fastest marathon ever clocked last year at Boston and went on to win at New York as well, dropped out after 30 kilometers due to cramping.

Mutai won last year in a stunning 2:03:02 and followed up with a New York Marathon triumph in record time, but his Boston time was not recognized as a world record because the Boston course lacks proper change in elevation and has different starting and finishing areas to satisfy IAAF regulations.

Matebo, who won marathon titles in 2010 at Brussels and 2011 at Barcelona, seized the men's lead after nine miles and stayed with the lead group until, one by one, his rivals fell back.

Matebo pushed past Matthew Kisorio at Heartbreak Hill and stretched his lead to 17 seconds by mile 22, only to see Korir close on him in mile 24.

http://www.nation.co.ke/sports/athl...n+titles/-/1100/1387738/-/ixiem2/-/index.html

 

[Ab-Titchaz]

Wesley Korir of Kenya, men's winner, and Sharon Cherop of Kenya, female winner, of the 116th Boston Marathon, react on the April 15, 2012 in Boston, Massachusetts.

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[Ab-Titchaz]

Wesley Korir of Kenya, men's winner, and Sharon Cherop of Kenya, female winner, of the 116th Boston Marathon, react on the April 15, 2012 in Boston, Massachusetts.

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[Ab-Titchaz]

Wesley Korir of Kenya receives a crown of laurels after he won the men's division of the 116th Boston Marathon on the April 15, 2012 in Boston, Massachusetts.
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[Ab-Titchaz]

Sharon Cherop of Kenya smiles with the trophy after she won the women's division of the 116th Boston Marathon on the April 15, 2012 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Sharon Cherop of Kenya, left, hugs Dado Firehiwot of Ethiopia after Cherop won the women's division of the 116th Boston Marathon on the April 15, 2012 in Boston, Massachusetts.

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[BAK]

...With efforts and dedication anything is possible under the sun. Congratulations!

 

[Ab-Titchaz]

...With efforts and dedication anything is possible under the sun. Congratulations!

Leo wameshinda London Marathon!

Kenyans on top in London Marathon

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Mary Keitany of Kenya crosses the finish line to win the women's 2011 London Marathon on April 17, 2011.
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By AFP
Posted Sunday, April 22 2012 at 14:05

Kenya's Wilson Kipsang and Mary Keitany won the men's and women's events respectively in the London Marathon here on Sunday as the African nation dominated the podium places in the elite races.

Kipsang, the second fastest man of all time, went clear of a class field in the closing stages and won in an unofficial time of two hours, four minutes and 44 seconds -- just four seconds outside the course record set by compatriot Emmanuel Mutai in winning last year's race.

He finished more than two minutes in front of compatriot Martin Lel, who overtook fellow former London champion Tsegaye Kebede of Ethiopia with a strong sprint finish to serve notice of his credentials ahead of the Olympic Marathon in London in a few months' time.

Kebede may have prevented a Kenyan clean sweep in his race but in the women's event Mary Keitany successfully defended the title she won last year to lead home a Kenyan 1-2-3.

She left an outstanding field trailing to win in an unofficial time of 2:18:36, a new Kenyan national record and a personal best -- well inside her time of 2:19:19 in which she won last year's London Marathon.

World champion Edna Kiplagat finished second, more than a minute behind, with world silver medallist Priscah Jeptoo a further 24 seconds behind in third.

There was success for Britain in the wheelchair races with Dave Weir and Shelly Woods ensuring a home double.

Weir timed his finish to perfection to see off the challenge of Switzerland's Marcel Hug and so win his sixth London title while Woods overpowered her rivals to claim a second London victory of her career, finishing nearly four minutes ahead of Japan's Wakako Tsuchida.

Kenyans on top in London Marathon*- Athletics*|nation.co.ke