News08 Jan 2005


Cheruyiot and Cheromei complete South American double

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Robert Cheruiyot wins 2003 Boston Marathon, (© photo by Vinny Dusovic)

Kenyans Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot and Lydia Cheromei completed back to back wins in South America, when they claimed the top honours of the Corrida de Sao Silvestre in Sao Paulo on 31 December 2004, and a week later in Uruguay's San Fernando race (6 Jan 2005).

Cheruyiot and Cheromei posted easy victories respectively in the men’s and women’s contests at both events to extend their country's dominance of two of the most prestigious road races in South America.

Corrida de Sao Silvestre

The 26-year old Cheruyiot, the 2003 Boston Marathon champion completed the 15km on the Sao Paulo streets in 44:43 to repeat his 2002 win. After the 11th kilometre mark, he was not challenged again and easily defeated Ethiopian-born Australian Sisay Bezabeh (45:05), and Kenyans Stephen Biwott (45:28) and Benson Barus (45:34). Clodoaldo Gomes da Silva, the 1994 World Junior champion at 20km in Lisbon, was the first Brazilian to cross the finish line in fifth, after a 45:41 effort.

In the women's race, Lydia Cheromei took control of the race for good in the second half and went on to claim her third Sao Silvestre title, following her wins in 1999 and 2000. The 27-year old, runner-up at last year's World Half Marathon Champs in New Delhi, completed the 15km in 53:01 minutes, was well ahead of Brazil's Lucelia de Oliveira Peres (54:18), Adriana Aparecida da Silva (54:20), Kenya's Cheruto Limakori (55:11), and Marily dos Santos (55:36).

Both winners collected U$ 7900 for their efforts in Latin America's oldest race, whose first edition started at midnight on December 31, 1924, and which has been contested by many Olympic champions in its 80-year history.

San Fernando

Six days later in Uruguay, both Cheruiyot and Cheromei completed a successful start in 2005 with another convincing performance in the 31st Corrida San Fernando, a 10km evening race from Punta del Este to Maldonado on Epiphany Day.

Cheruyiot achieved his fourth consecutive win on Uruguayan soil and equalled his compatriot Paul Tergat, who also clinched four wins in a row (1998-2001).

The winner needed 38:37 to complete the distance and held on despite the late surge of Brazilian 2003 Sao Silvestre runner-up Romulo Wagner, who crossed the finish line two seconds later. Kenya's Benson Barus (28:42), Simon Biwot (28:47) and Clodoaldo Gomes Da Silva (29:01) followed home.

Kenya have only lost the San Fernando men's title once since 1994, when Brazil's Ronaldo da Costa won in 1995.

In the women's race, Cheromei opened a decisive gap from the very beginning and went on to secure an unchallenged win in 32:30. Brazil's Marily Dos Santos (33:56), Adriana Aparecida Da Silva (34:23), Lucelia De Oliveira (34:56), and Rosangela Aparecida (34:59) were very distant behind.

San Fernando drew more than 5000 runners from many of the South American countries and attracted thousands of spectators along the course.

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