by Larry Eder
Rudisha confirms Doha
DOHA (QAT): World record holder and olympic winner at 800 m David Rudisha announced his season opener. This year it will be at Doha Samsung Diamond League meet on May 10. This will be his sixth visit there, each time to run the 800m. He first traveled to Doha in 2007 as a junior, and finished sixth in 1:45.55. In 2008, he registered his maiden victory with 1:44.36. The following year he was fourth, in 1:44.78, but bounced straight back with two impressive wins in 2010 and 2012, clocking 1:43.00 (the current meeting record) and 1:43.10, respectively. “It’s always nice to return in Doha. I have great memories from the Qatar Sports Club track, where I have won three times so far. The spectators are always enthusiastic and push the athletes to their limits,” said Rudisha, who also struck gold at the 2011 IAAF World Championships. “I do not run many races over the season and so it is important that every race is a quality race. I have beaten Kipketer’s former world record (1:41.11) three times now and one day I hope to break the 1:40 barrier. It’s not impossible but it is a very difficult task to accomplish” added Rudisha, who has run two laps of the track in under 1:42 on seven occasions, a unique feat in the history of the event. Rudisha already announced that his second meet of the season will be New York adidas Grand Prix mon May 25.
OUTDOOR RESULTS
DEN HAAG (NED, Mar 10): Edwin Kipyego won the CPC Half Marathon here with fast 1:00:05 ahead of Henry Kiplagat 1:00:55 and Ethiopian Abera Belay 1:00:58. Fourth and fifth more Kenyans Kennedy Kimutai 1:01:00 and pre-race favorite Ezekiel Chebii 1:01:20. They started with 14:02 at 5k and 27:53 at 10k, Kipyego pushed at 15 km 42:17. Best home runner Michel Butter as 11th in 1:02:25. 26 runners went under 1:05. French Laurane Picoche was the women winner in 1:11:45.
BRESCIA (ITA, Mar 10): Kenyan Daniel Songok has won the Brescia Marathon in 2:11:46 in front of Ethiopian Tafa Megersa 2:13:29 and best Italian Alessandro Rambaldini 2:32:37. Doreen Kitaka won women in 2:39:30. In men 10 km race top Italian marathon runner Ruggero Pertile won in 30:42.
VARESE (ITA, Mar 10): A very fast edition of “Lago Maggiore Half Marathon” with Kenyan winner Luka Rotich in 1:00:14 in front of more Kenyans Robert Kwambai 1:00:31, Rubeen Limaa and Hillary Kipchumba 1:01:02. Ethiopian Tadelech Bekele was the top woman in 1:09:31.
NOMI CITY (JPN, Mar 10): Yusuke Suzuki won the Asian Walking Championships at the 20 km in new Japanese record 1:18:34 and best non-Chinese Asian performance ever. Second Chinese Li Tianlei 1:21:28 and third Gurmeet Singh of India 1:21:38. In rain Kumi Otoshi also got the women title for Japan in 1:33:49 beating Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuc of Vietnam 1:35:26 and Korean Jeon Yeon Geun 1:35:49.
HAPALUA (USA, Mar 10): Marathon world record holder Patrick Makau clocked 1:05:28 at the Hapalua Half Marathon ahead of Nicholas Manza 1:05:29. Hawaii’s top runners were given head starts on Makau ranged from 7 minutes to 25 minutes. The purse for the case was 11 000 USD. He was succesfully catched by 15 home runners.
TAROUDANT (MAR, Mar 10): Ethiopian Adugna Tekele won the Taoroudant 10 km race in fast and world leading 27:30 over another Ethiopian Birhanu Legesse 27:34 and best Kenyan of the day Edwin Mokua 27:38. Top Moroccan Najim El Qady as 5th in 27:55. Khadija Samnah of Morocco was the best woman in 32:11 ahead of Kenyans Joan Chelimo 32:20, Emily Samoei 32:32 and Alice Mogire 32:48. Slovenian Sonja Roman was 5th in 33:08.
VANNES (FRA, Mar 9-10): Quentin Bigot won the hammer with 74.00 at the French Winter Throwing Championships. Melina Robert-Michon topped the discus 61.17 and in the men discus new French U23 record for Lolassonn Djouhan 61.70 m.
NATIONAL CC CHAMPIONSHIPS
GRANOLLERS (ESP, Mar 10): World indoor medalist 2010 Sergio Sanchez won the Spanish CC Championships with 35:34 at 12 km ahead of strong group of runners. Second Carles Castillejo 35:46, third Ayad Lamdassem 35:50, fourth Antonio Jimenez 35:55 and fifth Alemayehu Bezabeh in 36:27. Moroccan Malikah Asahssah won the women 8 km in 26:39 ahead of Ethiopian Trihas Gebre 27:09, both running for Spanish clubs. First Spanish runner and national champion was Gemma Barrachina as third in 27:26 and fourth Diana Martin in 27:32.
BYDGOSZCZ (POL, Mar 10): Katarzyna Kowalska won her record 7th national title at 85th Polish CC Championships on the course which will be used in two weeks for the World Championships. She clocked 26:15 at the 8 km ahead Agnieszka Ciolek 26:30 and Dominika Napieraj 27:03. In men 12 km win for marathon runner Blazej Brzezinski 34:41 over Arkadiusz Gardzielewski 34:47 and steeple specialist Tomasz Szymkowiak 34:55. In short course races in women 4 km Angelika Cichocka won in 13:11 ahead of Sylwia Ejdys 13:16 and Paralympian Barbara Newedzial 13:20. Krzysztof Zebrowski got the men 4 km title in 11:16 ahead of Goteborg participant Mateusz Demczyszak 11:19, Tomasz Osmulski 11:27 and Goteborg 7th placer in the 1500 m Bartosz Nowicki 11:29.
TORRES VEDRAS (POR, Mar 10): Ana Dulce Felix won her fourth national CC title in a row with 28:14 at 8 km. In the history also Manuela Simoes, Rosa Mota and Fernanda Ribeiro won four CC national golds in a row. Second European Indoor Champion Sara Moreira 28:34 and third Clarisse Cruz 29:08. Maratona Club de Portugal won the team title. Manuel Damiao won with 8 seconds margin the men 12 km title with 37:25 and defended his title. Second Alberto Paulo 37:33 and third Jose Rocha 37:38. Sport Lisboa won the club title.
ROCCA DI PAPA (ITA, Mar 10): Kenyan guest William Kibor won here near Rome the Italian CC Clubs Championships. He clocked 30:10 at 10 km ahead other foreign guests Taofiq El Barhoumi 30:12, Hillary Bii 30:13 and Pascal Sarwat 30:47. First Italian Gabriele De Nard 30:53 as fifth. The club title went again to Fiamme Gialle. In the women race also the win was repeated by Esercito. Top individual at 6 km was Kenyan Hellen Jepkurgat in 20:07 ahead of two top home marathon runners Valeria Straneo in 20:43 and Fatna Maraoui in 20:49. Esercito topped men 4 km as Daniele Meucci won in 11:37 in good battle with Stefano La Rosa 11:44 and Merihun Crespi 12:02. In women 4 km Moroccan Siham Hilali posted 13:26 over Silvia Weissteiner 13:34 and Samiri Touria 13:38 with Giulia Viola fourth 13:54 (she was recently European Indoors finalist at the 1500 m). Forestale beat Fiamme Gialle for the women short course title.
FELDKIRCH-GISINGEN (AUT, Mar 10): Marathon runner Andrea Mayr beat at Austrian CC Championships over 4.97 km in sunny weather the track specialist Jennifer Wenth with 16:14 to 16:41. Already fifth CC title for Mayr. Valentin Pfeil topped men long course in 28:31 at 9.53 km ahead of Christian Steinhammer 28:37 and David Schneider 28:57. Steinhammer won also the short course at 3.83 km in 11:07.
OOSTENDE (BEL, Mar 10): Almensh Belete won the Belgian CC title with 23:19 at 6.575 km clearly over multiple national champion Veerle Dejaeghere 23:40 and Veerle Van Linden 23:46. Ethiopian Dame Tasama was the best in men 10.075 km 31:43, the national title went to second Koen Naert 32:03 ahead of title defender Abdi Bashir 32:27. Both national champions were also the overall winners of the prestigious series LottoCrossCup.&n
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INDOOR RESULTS
NOGENT SUR OISE (FRA, Mar 10): At French U23 indoor championships Valentin Lavillenie the brother of olympic winner won the pole vault with 540 on count-back over Stanley Joseph also 540. Simon Krauss improved to 7.74 at 60 m hurdles.
