Lilya Shobukhova ran her race at the Bank of America Chicago marathon on Sunday, October 10. The highly visible promotions done around Chicago mentioned 10.10.10-the tenth day of tenth month of tenth year of century. The stories that have come out of this race have made some call the race the best marathon that they have ever seen.

Lilya Shobukhova ran her own race. Her agent told RBR, at dinner on Sunday evening, that Lilya was prepared to break two hours, twenty minutes. But, with the weather and the pacers, Lilya made some decisions to guage her strengths at half way and after. Shobukhova had expected the pace makers to hit 71 minutes and 72:30 minutes for halfway. Astede Baysa, Mamitu Daska and Askale Tafa Margasa went out like the proverbial bats out of hell.

Shobukhova was fifteen seconds back from Baysa and Daska at the halfway point, as Baysa hit the halfway at 1:09:45 to Shobukhova’s 1:10:10! Baysa ran with fierce emotion, taking her lead to 20 seconds at 25 kilometers: Baysa hit the 25k in 1:22:42 with Shobukhova at 1:23:02.

What people were not following were two other racers: Maria Konovalova, who hit 25k in 1:24:02 and Desiree Davila, of the US, who hit 25k in 1:26:33, and Magdelena Lewy-Boulet right behind Des, running 1:26:36 for 25k.

Remember Shobukhova has run under 14:30 for 5 kilometers. Her stride, not overly long, is elegant and looks effortless. Shobukhova is focused. Shobukhova had moved up to second by 30k, but Baysa had opened 28 seconds on Lilya-was that going to prove to be too much? As the race got hot, the weather got hot. By 9 am, it was 77 degrees, though with little humidity, and a swirling wind.

Between 30 kilometers and 35 kilometers, Lilya Shobukhova showed running fans why she has been so effective at Virgin London and Bank of America Chicago in the past year. This year, 10.10.10, was very, very warm. Shobukhova ran 16:44 for the 5k between 30 and 35 k. Astede Baysa ran 17:26 for this 5k, and Lilya floated by Baysa, putting fifteen seconds between the Russian and the Ethiopian in that difficult 5k! Maria Konovalova moved into third and Desiree Davila moved into fifth position as the race moved into the race it or loose it stage.

The final 7.22 kilometers of the race, Shobukhova continued to move, faster and faster. She went from probably top three to breaking the Russian record and putting three minutes and fifteen seconds between Shobukhova and Bayso, 2:20.25 to 2:23:40! Maria Konovalova, who was basking in her success Sunday evening at dinner, improved her pb by eleven minutes in this crazy weather! Maria ran 2:23:50, nearly taking second from Astede Baysa!

Desiree Davila, who had some injuries five weeks into the marathon training, ran a personal best of 2:26:20, putting her in some royal American distance running company: Deena Kastor, Kara Gotcher and Joan Benoit Samuelson are the ONLY women from US who have ever run faster than Davila. Davila finished fourth, just ahead of Mikitenko.

Magdelena Lewy Boulet finished in seventh in 2:28:44, with a pit stop. Tera Moody, ran her best marathon with a terribly painful bunion, in 2:30:53.

Today was Lilya Shobukhova’s, in the women’s race, who showed that speed, endurance and judgement is key to being the top women marathoner in the world. Her brilliant race in Chicago, also made her $500,000 richer, thanks to the World Marathon Majors victory! 

EME NEWS (OCT 10,
2010) UPDATE

GREENE
CLOCKS 48.52, LAPIERRE LEAPS TO 830

NEW DELHI
(IND, Oct 9-10): Plenty of Games records
during the weekend in New Delhi.
Monday will see men´s 10
000 m and steeple as events for Kenya and men´s pole
vault and women´s 100 m
hurdles as something special for Australia.

Saturday: For walker Jared
Tallent the name said it all. Already a double Olympic medalist in Beijing –
silver in 50km and bronze in 20km – the victory in men’s 20km walk was special
to the Australian as it graduated him from a mere bronze medalist in Melbourne
to a CWG champion in Delhi. Although he returned a Games record time of 1:22:18
here ahead of Luke Adams 1:22:31 and Indian Harminder Singh 1:23:28 (career
best). Jo Jackson put aside her seventh place finish in 2006 to win the women’s
20 km
walk, also with a record time of 1:34:22. World and Olympic winner Valerie
Adams accounted for the third record of the day in shot put. Her first throw of
20.47m was enough to defend her title. She tossed the iron ball above 20 metres in all her six
try-outs and no other competitor did it here. Cleopatra Brown of Trinidad and Tobago
settled for silver in 19.03m while Samoan Tasele Margaret Iva Satupai was a
distant third at 16.43m (18 years, national record). Kenyan trio of Milcah
Chemos, Mercy Njoroge and Gladys Kipkemoi filled the podium in women’s
steeplechase with world bronze medalist Milcah occupied the top spot clocking
9:40.96 (all-comers record, other two times on the podium were 9:41.54 and
9:52.51). Sudha Singh timed a new national record 9:57.63 while finishing
fifth. An inspired Kenyan Mark Kiprotich Mutai took the line-up in men’s 400m
when the ladies completed their lap of honour and went on to win the event,
piping Australia’s Sean Wroe on the tape 45.44 to 45.46 secs. Bahama’s Ramon
Miller snatched the bronze from teammate Michael Mathieu in photo-finish
(45.55-45.56). 2007 world high jump champion Thomas Donald of Bahamas sailed
over 232 to prove his supremacy in this event. Although he failed to equal the
GR of 2.36 in
all his three attempts, his mark is the highest jump in India. Teammate
Trevor Barry made it 1-2 for Bahamas
(229 lifetime best) ahead of African Champion Kabelo Kgosiemang (226, with
Samson Oni fourth 223 as best from UK). Similarly the long jump pit
witnessed the farthest ever jump at the games as world indoor champion Fabrice
Lapierre from Australia bettered Mike Powell’s 17-year-old all-comers’ record
leaping to 830 (+0.3). England’s
Greg Rutherford (822, +0.4) was a close second while Ghana’s Ignisious Gaisah (812,
+0.4) was third (all top marks of the medalists were in round 2). South African
Sunette Viljoen defended her title in women’s javelin throw as she set out the
spear to a new games record 62.34. England’s Louise Hazel scored 6156
points (was best in long jump 644 and with javelin 44.42) and shocked Canadian
Jessica Zelinka (6100), fifth at Beijing Olympics, to win the heptathlon.

Sunday: Over 50 000 spectators
occupied the stands in Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and the atmosphere was
electrifying as the roar went up to sky each time an athlete, especially that
of Indians, begun his or her quest for glory. Fresh from his Continental Cup
silver medal in Split Australian thrower Benn Harradine extended his supremacy
further with a 65.45 golden throw with Indian Vikas Gowda taking the silver in
a season’s best 63.69. In other technical events women gold medals for Canada.
Experienced Nicole Forrester won in high jump after a jump-off as she and
Jamaican record holder Sheree Francis had the same attempts with 188 in first and misses at
191. Going back to 191 Forrester managed and won. Alice Falaiye was surprise
long jump winner with 650 (0.0) as the best from qualifiying round Trinidad´s
Rhonda Watkins (656 the day before) leaped only to 636 and ended fourth.
European champion David Greene showed his class in men´s 400 m hurdles and won gold
medal for Wales
with fast Indian all-comers record 48.52. South African LJ Van Zyl also high
quality second in 48.63 (the closest second ever at the games in this event)
and bronze for Wales
(Rhys Williams, 49.19). Leon Baptiste won the 200 m for England with 20.45 (+0.1, faster 20.43 in semis +0.4) ahead
of improved Jamaican Lansford Spence 20.49 and European medalist Christian
Malcolm of Wales
(20.52). Kenyans had the full podium in the 800 m (first time any country
did it in this event at the games) with Boaz Lalang winning (1:46.50, faster
1:46.41 in semis) ahead of two Kiplagat´s (Richard 1:46.95 and Abraham
1:47.37). Nigerian record holder Joke Odumosu was the best in the women´s 400 m hurdles in 55.28 ahead
of Eilidh Child of Scotland
(55.62) and Jamaican Nickiesha Wilson (56.06). For the second time in athletics
at the games an athlete has protested after being disqualified in the women’s
200m semifinals today and the final has been postponed for tomorrow. Cyprus sprinter
Eleni Artymata appealed to the jury after she was disqualified after winning
the semifinals heat number one and that put her in the finals which was
scheduled to be held later today. But a terse press release issued by technical
delegate Bill Bailey said the event has been postponed till 17:50 hrs on Monday
due to “the results of semifinals being appealed to the jury”.

SHOBUKHOVA
CLEAR, THEORETICAL CHANCE FOR KEBEDE

CHICAGO
(USA):
At the beginning of the day, Sammy Wanjiru and Tsegaye Kebede each had 50
points in the World Marathon Major standings. After staying close throughout
the race, Wanjiru and Kebede ran side-by-side and traded off the lead at mile
26, before Wanjiru surged to the front and never looked back. His strong finish
gave Wanjiru 25 points, bringing his total up to 75 and the lead with only one
event, the ING New York City Marathon, remaining in the series. Kebede’s
second-place finish (2:06:43) gave him 15 points, bringing his total to 65. The
only opportunity for Wanjiru to be defeated would be for Kebede to make a quick
recovery to run New York,
and finish second or better. In the women’s race, Shobukhova took hold of the
lead around the 35K mark and did not face any competition the rest of the race.
The victory gave her an additional 25 points in the World Marathon Major
standings, bringing her total to 85 and guaranteeing her the title and $500,000
purse. Organizers are saying in a release.

OTHER
RESULTS

GRONINGEN
(NED, Oct 10): Close finish in the 24th edition of Groningen 4 miles road race.
Ethiopians ruled this time. Alamirew Yenew clocked 17:07 to beat Tariku Bekele
by one second (17:08). Third Abera Kuma achieved 17:22. Then the best Kenyan
followed as Eliud Kipchoge coming from India was fourth (17:26) ahead of
Moses Kibet (17:36) and Moses Masai (17:37). Best European Khalid Choukoud of Netherlands as
10th got 18:23. Kenya
dominated the women race as world CC champion Emily Chebet beat in 19:20 Ethiopian
Meselech Melkamu (19:46) and another Kenyan Valentine Kipketer (20:18).
Poland´s Karolina Jarzynska as fourth was the best European in 20:22.

RENNES (FRA, Oct 10): Impressive men´s 10 km times at the race here.
Kenyan Philemon Limo (has 27:36 from the track) achieved 27:35 ahead of
Ethiopian Azmeraw Bekele (27:43) and another Kenyan Alex Korio (27:52). Best
French Stephane Lefrand as 15th in 29:47. In women 6.25 km race Ejegayehu
Dibaba in close finish of four runners (same time 20:04 for all four) beat
Emebet Anteneh, Sule Utura Gedo and Pamela Lisoreng.

ESSEN (GER, Oct 10): Briton Neal Renault won
the RWE Marathon in 2:18:21 and improved his personal best by 8 seconds. German
Manuel Meyer as second achieved exactly 2:20:00.

BOSTON
(USA,
Oct 10): Kenyan John Korir clocked 1:02:21 to win the Boston Half-Marathon.
Women Kenyan winner Caroline Rotich achieved 1:10:52.

JINJU (KOR, Oct 10): New Korean
20 km
walk record at the 91st National Sports Festival as Kim Hyun-Sub clocked
1:19:36. Another national mark in men´s shot put with Hwang In-Sung tossing to
18.86. Marathon winners were as Tilastopaja
informs Park Ju-Young 2:20:19 and Jung Hyung-Sun 2:39:50.

OTHER NEWS

ATLANTA
(USA):
Olympic and worlds gold medalist Veronica Campbell Brown ended her cooperation
with Atlanta-based coach Anthony Carpenter after just one season. Her agent
Claude Bryan confirmed it for Jamaica Observer. She broke ties with long-time
coach Lance Braumann at the end of the 2009 season and moved to Atlanta to train under
the little-known Carpenter. With Carpenter she won world indoor title and
improved at the 100 m
to 10.78. Two other Jamaican athletes who were at the Carpenter camp have
started the season elsewhere. Dexter Lee, who retained the IAAF World Junior
100m gold medal in Canada in July, is back in Montego Bay training under his
high school coach Claude Grant, and 400m specialist Shereefa Lloyd who returned
to Jamaica and is part of the Kingston-based Glen Mills Racers Club.

LEVELLAND (USA): Jamaica’s biggest middle-distance
talents Kemoy Campbell and Natoya Goule are having new place to continue in
their career. South Plains College
in Texas.

CORRECTION

CHICAGO
(USA):
Shobukhova time is the fastest since Mikitenko 2:19:19 in Berlin 2008 (not
2009).