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Sunday 10 April 2005 Paris, France – Kenyan Salim Kipsang and Russian Lidiya Grigorieva were the surprising winners today out of a record 35,500 runners who took part in the 2005 Paris Marathon. Both smashed their personal bests applying similar tactics to win their first major international marathons. MEN – Final sprint decides 'team' race The four pacemakers opened the race gently on a fresh and dry morning in Paris streets, and were followed by a large group of runners, composed mainly of Kenyans and Ethiopians. Several attempts to open a gap occurred after 10km was reached (30:11), but they had no other effect than to increase the pace and leave 2004 edition winner Ambesa Tolosa 20 seconds behind. It was now also clear that the 2:06:33 course record was not in danger. No changes occurred in the group of about fifteen runners which included all the favourites, Kenyans Rodgers Rop, Paul Biwott and Daniel Cheribo, Ethiopian Gashaw Melese and French El Hassan Lasshini. As the leaders reached half-way in 1:04:09 runners started to drop back off the pace so that one hour and 30 minutes after the start, only six runners were left in the hunt for the victory: Rop, Cheribo, Biwott, David Kirui, Salim Kipsang and Peter Chebet. The increased pace in the downhill part of the race opened hopes for a final finishing time of under 2:08, faster than most athletes' personal bests. Due to the fast pace and head wind, the pack was gradually reduced to four runners, and by five kilometres to go, Rop faded to let Biwott and Kipsang fight for first place. Biwott, with his small strides, couldn't reply to Kipsang's move in the last couple of kilometre, which made him one of the most surprising winners in Paris Marathon's history, crossing the line in 2:08:04, 13 seconds ahead of Biwott. It was a tremendous improvement for Kipsang, 25, former World Junior 10,000m silver medallist, who before today had complied a modest career at the Marathon: 17th in Rotterdam (2:14:55) and 7th Amsterdam (2:12:44) in 2004. "It's fantastic, I still can't believe I won the race, that's the best day of my life," said the delighted winner. Biwott also beat his personal best in this his second Marathon ever, after his 3rd place in Paris last year, confirmed, "we did (ran) a team race until the last metres and Salim deserved the win today." WOMEN - Grigoryeva's successful switch to the Marathon The women's race was anticipated as a battle between African specialists Asha Gigi, Florence Barsosio, Leila Aman, and the experienced Russians Irina Permitina (37-years-old), Larisa Zyusko (36), Irina Timofeyeva (35) and Lidiya Grigoryeva (31). Nevertheless, it was the Italian Rosaria Consolo who took an early lead, from Ethiopian Gigi and Aman, Kenyan Barsosio and France's Corinne Raux. The Russians remained quiet until the 15th kilometre when Grigoryeva, a 30:57.83 performer at 10,000m, who was 9th and 8th respectively at the last two Olympics, joined the leaders. Timofeyeva progressively joined the group, and let the Africans make the pace into the wind. Florence Barsosio, former Paris winner who recently came back to competition after maternity leave, was the only one to follow Grigoryeva closely after the Russian upped the pace as the women passed the 35km mark (2:02:11). The outcome was similar to men's race, as with an acceleration in the last couple of kilometres Grigoryeva became the winner. Emulating Kipsang, Grigoryeva erased her personal best (2:32:40) by about 5 minutes, in 2:27:03, 16 seconds ahead Barsosio who set a second best lifetime performance. Pierre-Jean Vazel for the IAAF Official results: Men 1. Salim Kipsang (KEN) 2:08:04. 2. Paul Biwott (KEN) 2:08:18. 3. Gashaw Melese (ETH) 2:09:25. 4. Peter Chebet (KEN) 2:10:12. 5. Daniel Cheribo (KEN) 2:10:15. 6. Patrick Tambwe (RDC) 2:10:27. 7. Rodgers Rop (KEN) 2:10:33. 8. El Hassan Lasshini (FRA) 2:11:07. 9. Ambessa Tolosa (ETH) 2:11:42. 10. Girma Tola (ETH) 2:12:40. Women 1. Lidiya Grigoryeva (RUS) 2:27:03. 2. Florence Barsosio (KEN) 2:27:19. 3. Asha Gigi (ETH) 2:27:41. 4. Rosaria Console (ITA) 2:28:05. 5. Corinne Raux (FRA) 2:28:51. 6. Irina Permitina (RUS) 2:29:46. 7. Irina Timofeyeva (RUS) 2:30:13. 8. Elena Fetizon (FRA) 2:34:45. 9. Carmen Oliveras (FRA) 2:36:04. 10. Claire Mouthon (FRA) 2:36:06. Unofficial intermediate times for leaders: Men Women 5K 15:12 17:11 10K 30:11 34:41 15K 45:28 52:23 20K 1:00:50 1:10:06 25K 1:15:42 1:27:20 30K 1:30:38 1:44:40 35K 1:45:47 2:02:11 ENDS
