Sondre Moen Stuns in Fukuoka win, 2:05:48 Norwegian, European record!

FUKUOKA (JPN, Dec 3): Norway’s Sondre Nordstad Moen caused a stir in the Fukuoka Marathon, claiming the victory in a European marathon record of 2:05:48 with splits of 63:19/62:29. “I was confident that I could run 2:07, and on a good day perhaps even 2:06, but I did not expect 2:05,” he told the IAAF after his record-breaking run. Moen (coached by Italian Renato Canova) shaved 4:19 from his lifetime best and Norwegian record and improved the European record jointly held by France’s Benoit Zwierzchlewski and Portugal’s Antonio Pinto by 0:48. Former world and Olympic marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich from Uganda was second in 2:07:10 with Alberto Salazar-coached Suguru Osako third in a 2:07:19 PB. Kenya’s Bedan Karoki faded to fourth in 2:08:44 after making a surge at the 30km checkpoint. Yuki Kawauchi finished ninth in 2:10:53.