46 TODAY • Monday • December 4, 2006 sports Kenyans turn on a masterclass Africans smash two race ALL SMILES: (from left) Kirui, Matui STANDARD CHARTERED and Demissu made it a memorable records as they win three day for African athletics. SINGAPORE MARATHON 2006 RESULTS out of four main events Full Marathon – Men Amos Tirop Matui (Ken) – 2:14.59s (RECORD) ATHLETICS Ashebir Demissu Jote Standard Chartered Singapore (Eth) – 2:15.07s Marathon 2006 Abel Kirui (Ken) – 2:16.31s Full Marathon – Women CUBBY LEONG Salina Kosgei (Ken) – [email protected] 2:31.53s (RECORD) Irina Timofeyeya (Rus) – 2:34.33s THEY came armed with a formidable rep- Emily Kimuria (Ken) – utation. They promised to dictate the pace 2:38.37s Salina Half Marathon – Men Kosgei right from the word go. In the end, they mas- Henry Wanyoike (Ken) – sacred the rest of the field. 1:20.07s Amos Tirop Matui and Salina Kosgei Joseph Kibunja (Ken) – 1:20.08s Mok Ying Ren (Sin) – 1:21.09s won the men and women’s races respec- Half Marathon – Women tively, as Kenyan runners dominated the Trudy Fawcett (Gbr) – 1:29.16s 2006 Standard Chartered Singapore Chan Kit Yee (Hkg) – 1:32.31s Victoria Hill (Gbr) – 1:35.06s Marathon yesterday. Men’s 10K In the men’s event, defending champion Samuel A/C John Moses (Mal) – 00:32.39s Matui set a new record when he bettered Nabin Kumar Rai (Nep) – 00:33.10s his 2005 mark by almost a minute, breast- A. Saravanan (Sin) – 00:33.44s OOI BOON KEONG, ERNEST CHUA Women’s 10K ing the tape with a time of 2:14.59s. Suzanne Elizabeth Walsham (Aus) – 00:37.35s Ethiopia’s Ashebir Demissu finished half marathon with a time of 1:29.16s. it a bit easier.” Caitriona Jennings (Irl) – 00:40.14s Vally d/o Michael (Mas) – 00:41.46s eight seconds back in second spot (2:15.07s) By defending his title, Matui earned The women’s race was tight as well, and Singapore top three – Men while another Kenyan, Jote Abel Kirui, US$25,000 ($38,538) and his team, Kosgei was surprised to beat Timofeyeva Elangovan Ganesan – 2:50.58s clinched the last spot on the podium with Marathon Centre Kericho, jumped 14 places to win her third race of the year, after vic- Murugiah Rameshon – 2:52.56s Daniel Ling 2:53.46s a time of 2:16.31s. to lead the Greatest Race On Earth (GROE) tories in Paris and Prague. Singapore top three – Women Countrywoman Kosgei, meanwhile, de- Main Team Challenge, a competition that She said: “I was really worried in the Vivian Tan – 3:02.16s throned last year’s champion, Irina Timo- offers a top prize of US$400,000. last five kilometres because Timofeyeva Anne Qi – 3:13.53s feyeva, rewriting the Russian’s record time The GROE, in its third year and with was just 100 metres behind. Yong Lai Chee – 3:34.40s of 2:34:42s set last year with a new mark over 80 teams and 300 participants, offers “I am very happy to win but just as For full results, please log on to of 2:31.53s. Timofeyeva took second place, US$1.5 million in total prize money over surprised. Today’s time may be about eight www.singaporemarathon.com while another Kenyan, Emily Kimuria, came four marathons legs -- Nairobi, Singapore, minutes off my personal best, but I’m not in third. Mumbai and Hong Kong. worried. To be able to clock this time and catch up with blood clogged in my toes. Blind runner Henry Wanyoike and Said Matui, 32: “I really didn’t expect still win is incredible.” “It was really difficult with the humid Joseph Kibunja then made it a one-two for to win. It wasn’t easy, but I expect the win Last year’s winner Timofeyeva had weather even though everyone had to en- Kenya in the men’s half marathon to demon- to lift the team’s spirit for the remaining two problems when she bruised her toes mid- dure the same conditions.” strate the gulf between the country and GROE races in Mumbai and Hong Kong. way through the race. She finished more Kosgei’s team Cyclone have now taken the rest of the world. “The conditions today were more dif- than eight minutes behind her personal a firm grip on the GROE women’s series, Great Briton Trudy Fawcett stemmed ficult than last year. The track seemed hard- best, and the 36-year-old said: “I had prob- her side a whopping nine minutes ahead of the Kenyan tide when she won the women’s er even though the cloudy conditions made lems with my footwear and it was hard to nearest rivals Grazy Girls. and it was a great feeling to Daddy Elangovan stand up there with her.” savours hat-trick Currently grooming Singa- pore’s next generation of middle- FOR the third year running, G Elangovan distance runners at the Singa- (picture) emerged as the top Singapore pore Sports School, the winner male in the Standard Chartered Singapore of the 2004 Coach Recognition Marathon. and 2006 Development Coach- But yesterday’s milestone is the ing Award ran almost unchal- 31-year-old’s best yet. lenged from start to finish. Inspired by his six-month-old baby “I didn’t go into the race girl, Elaveni, Elangovan had even more with any strategy,” said Elan- reason to celebrate, after he saw off Mu- govan. “I am more of a middle- rugiah Rameshon (2:52.56s) and Daniel PHOTO COURTESY OF SSC distance runner and the Ling (2:53.46s), who finished in second and third marathon is just something that I enjoy and look for- Lewis speaks his mind, again place, respectively. ward to at the end of every year. TRACK and field legend Carl Lewis mingled with the kids at the *scape Elangovan, the national record holder in the “I know the first 15km or so is crucial and once skate park at Somerset yesterday. Last Friday, the nine-time Olympic 1,500m, 3,000m and 5,000m, posted a time of I got past that stage still leading, I knew I would be gold medallist officially opened Nike’s latest store at VivoCity. On the final day of his stay in Singapore, Lewis continued on a theme 2:50.58s to pocket $3,000 for his effort. able to carry home the comfortable lead. he has constantly touched on since he arrived here – that track and “This may be my third win, but it is probably the In the women’s race, 35-year-old Vivian Tang field needs to reinvent itself. The 45-year-old said: “The sport needs a most special one,” he said. finished with a time of 3:02.16s. The stockbroker real boost. It seems to me athletics is lacking a bit of spirit and I think the big guys need to find out how to lift it to its former heights.” “To be able to win three in a row is great. But, emerged as the top Singaporean, beating Anne Qi When someone described him as a superstar, Lewis laughed off the this year’s victory is a little bit more special with my (3:13.53s) by almost 12 minutes. tagline and said: “I’ve never thought about it, whether I was competing baby girl here to witness the victory. Yong Lai Chee finished third with a time of before or now. I just want to be an ambassador of the sport and con- tribute to athletics, and the world at large.” — CUBBY LEONG “I planned to bring her up to the podium if I won 3:34.40s. — CUBBY LEONG LESLIE TAN.