Friday, 30 October 2009
Molla returns to defend Seoul title
Solomon Molla captures a surprise win at the JoongAng Seoul Marathon (JoongAng Seoul Marathon organisers)
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Seoul, Korea – Defending champions Solomon Molla of Ethiopia and Korean Sung-Young Lee will be among the ones to watch at Sunday’s 11th JoongAng Seoul Marathon.
The JoongAng Seoul Marathon is an IAAF Silver Label Road Race.
Counting the 10km race, more than 16,600 runners from 25 countries are expected to toe the start line on Sunday morning. Created to commemorate the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympic Games, the Marathon has always strived for achieving higher running standards. The men’s course record of 2:08:13 belongs to Kenyan Jason Mbote who in 2006 shaved 14 seconds from the previous mark set by his countryman William Kiplagat in 2005 (2:08:27). Since international women elite runners are not invited, the women’s field is traditionally dominated by strong Korean runners. The current course record of 2:29:32 was set in 2007 by Korean Eun-Jung Lee. The scenic urban course, with the start and finish in Jamsil Main Stadium, is slightly hilly and leads the runners past Olympic Park, Garak Market and Seoul Airport.
Men’s race -
The men’s international elite field features 19 runners five countries – a dozen from Kenya, four from Ethiopia, with Morocco, Tanzania and Korea also represented – who’ll be vying for a piece of the US $134,500 prize purse.
Nine of them achieved personal best in 2009 and ranging from 2:06:26, shown by Kenyan David Kemboi Kiyeng in Paris, to 2:13:30 by his countryman Willy Kimutai Kangogo in Daegu. Six of these athletes are from Kenya and three of them are prize winners at the 2009 Paris Marathon: Kiyeng (third), David Mandago Kipkorir (sixth with 2:06:53), and Francis Kibiwott Larabal who was 12th in 2:09:13. Kiyeng also set a quick 1:00:44 Half marathon PB in Verbania, Italy. Kenya’s Stephen Kipkoech Kibiwot (PB 2:07:54), 34, was second in this year’s Prague Marathon and Jacob Kiplagat Yator, 27, won the 2009 Enschede Marathon in PB 2:09:02.
In recent years Kenyans have won the race three times except last year, when Ethiopia’s Solomon Molla broke the tradition and reached the line first with a 2:08:46 PB. The defending champion is now coming back to confirm his title. He contested the Boston Marathon in April clocking 2:12:02 and has a half marathon PB of 1:02:40 from Rabat last year.
As in the previous years the marathon proves to be Kenyan versus Ethiopian contest. Among the other Kenyans is the experienced Felix Limo, 29, (PB 2:06:14, 4th place in Rotterdam); Paul Kipmaiyo Kimugul, 29,(PB 2:12:16 in Rome 2008), who crossed in 1:01:03 in Milano Half 2009; and two young Marathon debutantes specializing in half marathons: Kipkemei Mutai, 21, (PB 1:01:56 in Eldoret) and Kiprop Mutai, 22, who finished seventh in Eldoret this year. He also won the 2000m Steeplechase at the 4th IAAF World Youth Championships (5:24.69) in Marrakech 2005 and was ninth in the 3000m Steeplechase at IAAF/VTB Bank World Athletics Final (8:24.11) in Thessaloniki in September.
Ethiopian Chala Lemi, who finished fourth in the 2008 JoongAng Seoul Marathon (2:09:36) improved his performance by running a 2:08:49 PB in the 2009 Toronto Marathon. His fellow countryman Wegayehu Tefera completed 2009 Ottawa marathon in a PB 2:13:28.
Others to watch include: Najim El Gadi (MAR), who set 1:01:51 PB in 2009 Rabat Half Marathon placing fourth and will now debut in the marathon; and Korean Myung-Seung Lee (PB 2:13:42 in Seoul Int’l 2003), Beijing Olympics finisher (2:14:37) and participant in the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics (2:21:54) Berlin 2009.
Women’s race -
The defending champion, Beijing Olympian Sung-Young Lee, 25, (2:29:58 JoongAng Seoul Marathon 2008) is returning as well. She greatly improved her performance by setting a 2:27:48 PB in the 2009 Seoul Int’l Marathon.
Runner up in the two previous years, Hae Jin Bae, 30, (PB 2:32:56) will also show up again. Other Korean elite athletes include: Athens Olympian Kyung Hee Choi, 28, (PB 2:30:19 in Seoul Int’l 2004); last year’s third place finisher Kyung Hee Lim with PBs of 2:32:56 in Seoul Int’l 2003 and 1:11:14 in Inuyama Half Marathon; and Soon Duk Kang, 35, (PB 1:11:33 in Philadelphia Half Marathon 2008).
Yelena Kurdyumova and Sergey Porada for the IAAF
The JoongAng Seoul Marathon is an IAAF Silver Label Road Race.
Counting the 10km race, more than 16,600 runners from 25 countries are expected to toe the start line on Sunday morning. Created to commemorate the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympic Games, the Marathon has always strived for achieving higher running standards. The men’s course record of 2:08:13 belongs to Kenyan Jason Mbote who in 2006 shaved 14 seconds from the previous mark set by his countryman William Kiplagat in 2005 (2:08:27). Since international women elite runners are not invited, the women’s field is traditionally dominated by strong Korean runners. The current course record of 2:29:32 was set in 2007 by Korean Eun-Jung Lee. The scenic urban course, with the start and finish in Jamsil Main Stadium, is slightly hilly and leads the runners past Olympic Park, Garak Market and Seoul Airport.
Men’s race -
The men’s international elite field features 19 runners five countries – a dozen from Kenya, four from Ethiopia, with Morocco, Tanzania and Korea also represented – who’ll be vying for a piece of the US $134,500 prize purse.
Nine of them achieved personal best in 2009 and ranging from 2:06:26, shown by Kenyan David Kemboi Kiyeng in Paris, to 2:13:30 by his countryman Willy Kimutai Kangogo in Daegu. Six of these athletes are from Kenya and three of them are prize winners at the 2009 Paris Marathon: Kiyeng (third), David Mandago Kipkorir (sixth with 2:06:53), and Francis Kibiwott Larabal who was 12th in 2:09:13. Kiyeng also set a quick 1:00:44 Half marathon PB in Verbania, Italy. Kenya’s Stephen Kipkoech Kibiwot (PB 2:07:54), 34, was second in this year’s Prague Marathon and Jacob Kiplagat Yator, 27, won the 2009 Enschede Marathon in PB 2:09:02.
In recent years Kenyans have won the race three times except last year, when Ethiopia’s Solomon Molla broke the tradition and reached the line first with a 2:08:46 PB. The defending champion is now coming back to confirm his title. He contested the Boston Marathon in April clocking 2:12:02 and has a half marathon PB of 1:02:40 from Rabat last year.
As in the previous years the marathon proves to be Kenyan versus Ethiopian contest. Among the other Kenyans is the experienced Felix Limo, 29, (PB 2:06:14, 4th place in Rotterdam); Paul Kipmaiyo Kimugul, 29,(PB 2:12:16 in Rome 2008), who crossed in 1:01:03 in Milano Half 2009; and two young Marathon debutantes specializing in half marathons: Kipkemei Mutai, 21, (PB 1:01:56 in Eldoret) and Kiprop Mutai, 22, who finished seventh in Eldoret this year. He also won the 2000m Steeplechase at the 4th IAAF World Youth Championships (5:24.69) in Marrakech 2005 and was ninth in the 3000m Steeplechase at IAAF/VTB Bank World Athletics Final (8:24.11) in Thessaloniki in September.
Ethiopian Chala Lemi, who finished fourth in the 2008 JoongAng Seoul Marathon (2:09:36) improved his performance by running a 2:08:49 PB in the 2009 Toronto Marathon. His fellow countryman Wegayehu Tefera completed 2009 Ottawa marathon in a PB 2:13:28.
Others to watch include: Najim El Gadi (MAR), who set 1:01:51 PB in 2009 Rabat Half Marathon placing fourth and will now debut in the marathon; and Korean Myung-Seung Lee (PB 2:13:42 in Seoul Int’l 2003), Beijing Olympics finisher (2:14:37) and participant in the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics (2:21:54) Berlin 2009.
Women’s race -
The defending champion, Beijing Olympian Sung-Young Lee, 25, (2:29:58 JoongAng Seoul Marathon 2008) is returning as well. She greatly improved her performance by setting a 2:27:48 PB in the 2009 Seoul Int’l Marathon.
Runner up in the two previous years, Hae Jin Bae, 30, (PB 2:32:56) will also show up again. Other Korean elite athletes include: Athens Olympian Kyung Hee Choi, 28, (PB 2:30:19 in Seoul Int’l 2004); last year’s third place finisher Kyung Hee Lim with PBs of 2:32:56 in Seoul Int’l 2003 and 1:11:14 in Inuyama Half Marathon; and Soon Duk Kang, 35, (PB 1:11:33 in Philadelphia Half Marathon 2008).
Yelena Kurdyumova and Sergey Porada for the IAAF