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Boston: Expected Cheruiyot and unexpected Grigoryeva |
BOSTON: Kenyan Robert Kipkoech Cheruyiot is after Cosmas Ndeti and Ibrahim Hussein third Kenyan in the history of the oldest marathon on the planet to have three Boston wins. On Monday he achieved the third one in 2:14:13 what is the slowest winning time since 1977 (2:14:46 Jerome Drayton, CAN). The reasons for the results are obvious – cold (under 10 degrees), wind gusts and rain. The observers are saying one of the worst weather conditions in the history. Cheruyiot was running his 10th jubilee marathon and secured fifth win. After last year triumphs in Boston and Chicago (well remembered by his fall backwards at the finish line) he got another 25 points and has already 75 in the World Marathon Majors 2006/07 standings. This will be hard to beat, although still 5 races are remaining. He had clearly enough power to win in the last 2 km. Had second half quicker by more than 3 minutes. James Kwambai coached as the winner by famous Italian Gabriele Rosa is only in second year of marathon running and finished second 20 seconds behind the winner. Third place went to last year second man from New York Stephen Kiogora (another 14 seconds behind Kwambai). Kiogora got for third place 10 points and is now on the same level with winners like Limo, Gebrselassie and Dos Santos. The race was dominated more than 1:30 hrs by Kenyans Jared Nyamboki and Josephat Ongeri (1:07:07 HM split), but it was a question of time when they will be catched by the pack of elite runners.
Latvian Jelena Prokopcuka was active from begin in the women race which started 25 minutes earlier than men´s. Also last year winner Rita Jeptoo helped in some early parts with the pace. Also here it was clear from the times that no high quality final result is possible in the weather conditions. Runners came in 1:17:10 to the half mark. From then on the race became quicker. After next less than 30 minutes Jeptoo lost the leading group. It remained for trio and less than 8 minutes before the finish the experienced 10 000 m track runner (bronze in Goteborg last year and olympic races in Sydney and Athens) Grigorieva started with the final finish. At the end she had exactly 40 seconds over Prokopchuka. Winning time 2:29:18 is the slowest since 1985 (2:34:06 Lisa Weidenbach, USA). But she had the second half in 1:12:03 more than five minutes faster than the first one. It was fourth Russian female win in Boston. Second Prokopcuka got 15 points and leads clearly with 65 points the World Marathon Majors series. Third place went to CAC record holder Madai Perez of Mexico. Jeptoo finished fourth and with plus of five points moved to second place in the series. Deena Kastor in her first Boston got the US Title in the overall fifth place. Both winners will get 100 000 USD, total prize purse is 242 500 USD. Some 22 000 runners were scheduled to participate. Next World Marathon Majors race will on Sunday in London.
Top six
Men: 1. Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot,KEN 2:14:13, 2. James Kwambai,KEN 2:14:33, 3. Stephen Kiogora,KEN 2:14:47, 4. James Koskei, KEN 2:15:05, 5. Teferi Wodajo, ETH 2:15:06, 6. Benjamin Maiyo,KEN 2:16:04, 7. Ruggero Pertile,ITA 2:16:08 (best European)
Wom: 1. Lidia Grigoryeva,RUS 2:29:18, 2. Jelena Prokopcuka,LAT 2:29:58, 3. Madai Perez, MEX 2:30:16, 4. Rita Jeptoo, KEN 2:33:08, 5. Deena Kastor,USA 2:35:09, 6. Robe Guta, ETH 2:36:29
World Marathon Majors standings
Men: 1. Cheruiyot 75, 2t. F. Limo, KEN, Gebrselassie,ETH, dos Santos,BRA and Kiogora all 25
Wom: 1. Prokopcuka 55, 2. Jeptoo 35, 3. Adere, ETH 30, 4t. Grigoryeva and Kastor both 26
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Alfons Juck
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