News10 Jan 2005


Ethiopia at the double in Arizona

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Shitaye Gemechu and Terefe Yae pose with guitars after their victories in the Rock n'Roll marathon (© Victah Sailer)

The Ethiopian national marathon team is making rapid progress under the direction of coach Yilma Berta. Two of Berta's prodigies, Terefe Yae and Shitaye Gemechu, won their divisions in P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon on Sunday (9 Jan).

The victories gave Ethiopia three wins in the men's and women's sections of the two-year event.

Berta was confident that Gemechu, 31, the women's winner last year, would be able to repeat because of her experience over the course and the weak field aligned against her. He was correct, as Gemechu eased to victory in 2:32:51 seconds, nearly a minute ahead of runner-up Haley McGregor of Australia.

He wasn't as certain about Yae, 23, a relatively inexperienced marathoner. However, Yae ran a smart, tactical and strategic race, and won in 2:14:24.

Men – Defending champion Toroitich is no match

In earning his first marathon victory in his third international race, Yae pulled away from defending champion Haron Toroitich of Kenya just before the 40-kilometre mark. Toroitich had absolutely no kick and couldn't keep pace with Yae's late burst and finished far back in 2:15:40.

Yae's previous best finish was 2:11:12 in placing fifth in last year's Xiamen Marathon in China. On Sunday, he didn't come close to equalling his fastest time, but more importantly, he won. He said the time might have been faster had the pacesetters, Joseph Kariuki and Ronald Mogaka, both of Kenya, continued to the 30K point instead of dropping out (as agreed upon with the organisers) at the halfway mark. In addition, Yae said, the wind slowed the runners over the second half of the course (just like it did last year) after a 1:05:36 half.

“The winner is a very young guy,” Berta, who has a stable of about 40 marathoners, including junior runners, said. “It was surprising that he won here.”

Yae ran with the lead pack all the way.  At the midway point, there still were six contenders, three Kenyans and three Ethiopians. Progressively, four fell back before the relatively inexperienced Yae and Toroitich, 27, found themselves together shortly before the 39K point. They stayed that way for another kilometre before Yae made his decisive move.

Toroitich won last year in 2:10:33, the fastest ever in Arizona, and race organizers had hoped this year's race would be faster because of the elimination of a steep hill at mile 18. That didn't help.

Women - A straight forward win

McGregor, a member of the 2004 Australian Olympic marathon team at 10,000 metres who was making her marathon debut, was runner-up to Gemechu in 2:33:47. The time qualified McGregor for the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

Gemechu's winning time a year ago was 2:31:33.  Gemechu, 31, a reserve on the 2004 Ethiopian Olympic marathon team, earned her fifth marathon victory.

Each winner earned $20,000, a king's ransom in Ethiopia, from the total purse of $100,000.

Bert Rosenthal for the IAAF


RESULTS

MEN
1, Terefe Yae, Ethiopia, 2:14:24
2, Haron Toroitich, Kenya, 2:15:40
3, Belay Wolasha, Ethiopia, 2:16:23
4, Philip Taras, Kenya, 2:16:36.
5, Chad Johnson, United Statess, 2:16:57
6, Sergey Emelyanov, Russia, 2:17:44
7, Stephen Muturi, Kenya, 2:19:43
8, Asnake Ferkadu, Ethiopia, 2:23:55<

WOMEN
1, Shitaye Gemechu, Ethiopia, 2:32:51
2, Haley McGregor, Australia, 2:33:47
3, Karla Sokolovich, United States, 2:55:35
4, Mindy Kuehl, United States, 2:56:01
5, Sarah Shuler, United States, 2:57:25
6, Lisa Pohlit, United States, 2:57:53
7, Rebbechah Castilo, United States, 2:58:40
8, Suzy Schumacher, United States, 3:00:21

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