News04 Apr 2004


Kipchumba takes Stramilano win

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Robert Kipchumba of Kenya wins the 2004 Stramilano Half (© Lorenzo Sampaolo)

Milan, ItalyRobert Kipchumba from Kenya took a surprising win at the 33rd edition of the Stramilano Half Marathon in 1:00:21. In the women’s race, which made its return after an absence of 18 years the Italian Tiziana Alagia clinched the victory in 1:13:21 after being plagued for some years by injuries.
 
The 20-year-old Kipchumba, the 2000 World junior champion in the cross country and at the track 10,000 metres, lowered his PB by three minutes from 1:03:22 (set at the 2002 Stramilano, where he finished seventh) to 1:00:21.
 
Two Ethiopians Meregu Zewdie (third in the short course race at the recent World Cross Country Championships in Brussels) and Tibebu Yenew set a regular pace in the early stages (14:21 at 5 km; 28:41 at 10 km) but soon ended their pacing job.

After 12km, the Kenyan Wilson Kiprotich made a first short breakaway attempt at the 12 km (34:25) followed by a chasing group made up of the Kenyans Robert Kipchumba, Enock Mitei, John Korir and the Tanzanians Martin Sulle and Fabiano Joseph.

The leading group kept a very regular pace until the 15 km (43:04). At that point the pre-race favourite Joseph was dropped, and  Kipchumba, Sulle and Kiprotich pulled clear from the rest of the field, remaining incontention for the final battle for victory.

Three kilometres to go came the decisive attack
 
With three kilometres to go, Kipchumba launched his decisive attack and dropped Sulle and Kiprotich. The young Kenyan entered the Arena Civica Stadium with a solid leading margin and secured a six seconds victory over Sulle and Kiprotich.

Sulle, bronze medallist at the 2003 World Half Marathon Championships in Vilamoura, outkicked Wilson Kiprotich in a breathtaking sprint in the finish-line. The 22-year-old Tanzanian set his PB with 1:00:27, just one second faster than Kiprotich, who also improved his personal best.

In a high-quality race the first five place finishers set their personal bests: Enock Mitei was fourth in 1:00:32 ahead of John Korir in  fifth in 1:00:47.

“I come from a mountain region in the Marakwet district where I was born 20 years ago,” said Robert Kipchumba. “I have four brothers but I am the only one who runs.”

”After winning both junior world titles in the cross country and in the 10000 metres on the track in 2000 and running in 27:25.55 in Brussels in 10000 metres I joined the Army Force in 2002. Some physical problems prevented me from performing well last year. I will try to qualify for the Olympic Games in Athens.”

”The first Kenyan at the trials will be automatically qualified for Athens. The two remaining berths will be decided during a 10,000 metres race in the Stockolm DN Galan Super Grand Prix meeting on 27 July. Athens is an important step in my career but my future is more focused on road racing than on the track”, said Kipchumba.

“I found this new course more challenging than the one over which I ran two years ago. Over the old course I could have probably attacked the 1 hour- barrier.”

Women’s race – Alagia returns from injury

Tiziana Alagia, a 2:27:53 marathon runner, took the win in the women’s race in 1:13:21, two minutes slower than her PB of 1:11:29 set at the Roma-Ostia Half Marathon in 2001.

Alagia beat her compatriots Deborah Toniolo (1:14:30) and Ivana Iozzia (1:15:09).

Chantal Dallenbach, who holds joint French and Swiss citizenship, set the early pace (34:03 in the first 10 km) and built up a 50 metres lead over Alagia. The Italian gradually closed the gap and caught up with Dallenbach at halfway. Alagia was 13 seconds ahead of Toniolo, another 30 seconds ahead of Iozzia and secured an easy win.

”I have got through a very difficult period in my career,” said Alagia. “However, my determination not to give up paid off. After a very difficult 2003 I struggled to return to the form I had when I ran 2:27.53 at the Rome Marathon two years ago. I worked very hard in the last month in Namibia, so I was very confident at the start. I feared that my legs would feel stiff today after a long period without competitions”, said Alagia.

Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF

Selected results from the Stramilano Half marathon:

Men:

1 Robert Kipchumba (Kenya)  1:00:21
2 Martin Sulle  (Tanzania) 1:00:27
3 Wilson Kiprotich (Kenya) 1:00:28
4 Enock Mitei  (Kenya) 1:00:32
5 John Korir  (Kenya) 1:00:47
6 Fabiano Joseph (Tanzania) 1:01:03
7 Vasyl Matvichuk (Ukraine) 1:03:09
8 Simon Kilui  (Kenya) 1:03.10
9 Giovanni Ruggero (Italy)  1:04:23
10 Fenando Silva (Portugal) 1:04:24
11 Massimo Modica (Italy)  1:04:58

Women:

1 Tiziana Alagia (Italy)  1:13:21
2 Deborah Toniolo (Italy)  1:14:30
3 Ivana Iozzia (Italy)  1:15:09

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