http://www.iaaf.org/news/Kind=2/newsId=29310.html
Sunday 8 May 2005
Berlin, Germany - Neither wind nor cool temperatures of less than ten
degrees Celsius could stop the Kenyans in the 25th edition of the Run
Berlin. The jubilee edition of the race, which was formerly known as
"25 km von Berlin" and had been the first big West German city road
race back in 1981, produced another great demonstration of Kenyan
talent. At the end the athletes from East Africa took the first twelve
places in the men's race. And there was great quality since the first
eight runners finished within 1:15.
Seventh quickest all-time
Luke Kibet (KEN) in 1:13:51 wins the 2005 Berlin 25km
(Marisa Reich)
There were two sorts of comebacks: Luke Kibet returned to Berlin after
finishing second in last year's race, which had been won by Paul
Kosgei in 1:12:45. That time still stands as World record today. This
time Kibet won, though he was just one second ahead of Simon Kiprop.
Despite the wind he achieved a great winning time of 1:13:51 with
which he now ranks seventh in the world all-time list for the
distance. After having been absent from international athletics for a
longer period Rose Cheruiyot came back to win the 25km race in Berlin.
Difficult weather conditions
Spectators in Berlin's newly rebuilt Olympic Stadium saw another
sprint finish in the women's race. Cheruiyot just held off the
challenge by Ethiopia's Dire Tune Arusei, who crossed the line on the
stadium's blue track just a second behind. Rose Cheruiyot clocked
1:24:46, which was the fastest time in the race for six years. She
missed Susan Chepkemei's course record of 1:24:29 by just 17 seconds.
"Despite the difficult weather conditions we saw great races. So we
are very happy with the jubilee edition of our race", said race
director Derk Kogelheide. "Additionally we had a 20 percent increase
of entries." All together 9672 athletes had entered the event. 6101 of
them ran the 25km race while about 2300 participated in a 10km fun
run. There were events for inline skaters and children as well. Last
year the event had a total of 8000 entries. "Next year we hope to have
more than 10,000 athletes."
MEN – fast opening
While one gets used to the fact that no German elite runners were in
the race (they would not have been able to play a role anyway) the
Kenyans pushed the pace after passing 5km in 14:50. The next five
kilometres were run in a very quick 14:00 minutes in this very flat
passage of the course. The wind in the back may have helped a bit. Ten
Kenyans were on their own in the first group at the 10km point
(28:50).
If they had been able to stick to this sort of pace the World record
would have been smashed once more. But in the second half of the race
the wind was coming from the front and the pacemakers were out. 15km
was reached in 43:40. During an uphill stretch back towards the
Olympic Stadium the leading group was reduced to five runners: Kibet,
Kiprop, Mitei Enock, who later finished third in 1:13:56, Stanley
Salil and Francis Kiprop. It was not before the approach to the
stadium on the last two kilometres that this group broke up.
"If the weather would have been better we could have run faster. Maybe
there would have been a chance to go for the record", Kibet said. He
had been unlucky a year ago, finishing second in 1:12:52, which is
still the second fastest time ever run at the distance. "I had come
here to break the world record in 2004, but at the end Paul Kosgei was
a bit faster than me." This time he was determined to win. "When I
entered the stadium and Simon was still with me I was a bit nervous
because I thought about last year." But in the end Kibet had the
stronger finish. It was the fourth time in a row that the Kenyans took
at least the first three places in this race.
Kibet had placed 17th in the recent London Marathon, clocking 2:16:40.
He now intends to run the 10,000m in the Kenyan trials for the World
Championships in Helsinki. In autumn he plans to run another marathon.
Women – close finish
In the women's race Rose Cheruiyot made it five wins in a row for
Kenya at this race. But it was getting very close. From start to
finish Cheruiyot and the 20 year-old Ethiopian Dire Tune Arissi ran
shoulder to shoulder. "Until the very end I was not sure if I would be
able to beat her," said Cheruiyot. "But the strong opposition was the
reason why it was possible to run so fast despite today's weather
conditions."
Cheruiyot had won a major race in Berlin before. Three years ago she
had clocked 69:32 in the Berlin Half Marathon. Since then little was
heard about her. "That is right – I disappeared for some time", the 29
year-old said and explained: "I gave birth to a girl in March 2003.
But now I am back."
Cheruiyot plans to run in the Kenyan 10,000 m trials as well. "I know
that it will be very hard to qualify for Helsinki but I will try." The
Eldoret based athlete then intends to run her marathon debut in
autumn. "I would like to come back here and run the Berlin Marathon."
Jörg Wenig for the IAAF
Results
Men:
1. Luke Kibet KEN 1:13:51
2. Simon Kiprop KEN 1:13:52
3. Mitei Enock KEN 1:13:56
4. Stanley Salil KEN 1:14:03
5. Francis Kiprop KEN 1:14:20
6. Julius Sugut KEN 1:14:34
7. Richard Mutei KEN 1:14:54
8. Joseph Ngolepus KEN 1:14:56
9. Jason Mbote KEN 1:16:29
10. Eliud Tanui KEN 1:16:43
Women:
1. Rose Cheruiyot KEN 1:24:46
2. Dire Tune Arissi ETH 1:24:47
3. Peninah Arusei KEN 1:29:28
4. Rebby Koech KEN 1:30:44
5. Ludmilla Afoniouchkina RUS 1:35:03
6. Ingalill Andersson SWE 1:44:29
ENDS
