Impressive debut for Durban star
Kenya’s Dennis Kimetto rewrote the world marathon record books in Berlin in a weekend that also saw two South African ladies step up to world class performances over the 42.2km distance.
Kimetto proved to be the best of an exceptionally high class field in the German capital where world records have been set in five of the last eight years. The 30-year-old became the first to break through two hours three minutes setting a new world record of 2:02:57 and also pulling his countryman, Emmanuel Mutai, under the old mark of 2:03:23 by ten seconds.
Kimetto followed the tradition of running negative splits with a 61:45 at 21km and then slicing a further 33 seconds off for the second half.
“I believe I can go faster in the right conditions,” said the Berlin winner and the manner in which he pulled away from Mutai would seem to confirm that.
From midway the record was under threat. Mutai took over when the allocated pace makers fell away, going through 30km in one hour 27 minutes 37 seconds, which if ratified will also be a world best time.
Third place went to Abera Kuma in 2:05:56
Tirfi Tsegaye won a tightly fought ladies race that saw the top three finish within one minute.
Tsegaye and Ethiopian countrywoman Fayesa Tadese battled it out over the final kilometres with Tsegaye having a 6 metre lead to finish in 2:20:18.
Third place went to American, Shalane Flanagan, who had made it clear that her sights were on the USA record of 2:19:36.
Although failing to make Deena Kastor’s mark, Flanagan did set a new personal best of 2:21:14.
South African, Rene Kalmer, was all smiles with her ninth place performance and personal best of 2:29:27.
“I had hoped to get into 2:28 or better, but battled over the last six kilometres,” said Kalmer. “It was my second time under 2 hours 30 minutes and great to be racing a marathon major.”
The Olympian, who held ninth throughout the race, shadowed Anna Hanha for the majority of the race, going through half way in 73:43, just 17 seconds behind the leading German, but by 35km was over a minute adrift.
“It was hard being in no-man’s land with no one to run with, but the PB is the pay-off for all the hard training. I’m all smiles,” summarized South Africa’s leading marathoner.
Local KZN athlete, Jenna Challenor, was also full of smiles at the weekend having made her debut in the marathon at the PetroSA race in Mosselbay in a world championship qualifying time of 2 hours 41 minutes and 27 seconds.
The Boxer athlete, who represented South Africa in the World Half Marathon in Denmark in March, has posted useful 10km times in her build-up to her first marathon. Ironically, a hamstring niggle that prevented her from racing a recent Spar 10km may well have aided her to the win over the relatively tough course.
“There was a fierce hill at 18km and an even fiercer hill at 28km, but I really love hills so it was actually ok,” said the Durban-based runner. “I believe this was worth a 2:39, and it would be a dream come true if it will be enough to secure a place in a team for the World Championships in Beijing next year.”
Backed by improved 10km times, South African women have come through in the marathon distance giving the country an opportunity for the first time to fill a full quota at the 2015 World Championships.
London Olympians, Irvette van Zyl, Tanith Maxwell and Kalmer, have now been joined by Mapaseka Makhanya, winner of the Gauteng Marathon in 2:36:36, new SA Champion Zintle Xiniwe, who ran 2:41: 48 in Cape Town, and this weekend Challenor on the tough PetroSA course.
It is to be hoped the national selectors will not miss out on the opportunity to create a strong squad in the final two-year build towards the Rio Olympics 2016.
(File Photo:Gallo Images)
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