Previews22 Nov 2007


Battle for Italy’s Beijing berths – Florence marathon preview

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Vincenza Sicari of Italy on the way to victory in Florence (© Lorenzo Sampaolo)

Florence is ready to host its annual international marathon which celebrates its 24th edition on Sunday 25 November.

Organizers have announced a record entry of 7927 runners from 52 countries which makes Florence one of the most popular marathons in Italy after Rome.

In the men’s race with reigning Olympic and European champion Stefano Baldini returning to form with a good fourth place in New York recently, the battle is set between two of Italy’s other top runners Alberico Di Cecco and Daniele Caimmi to secure the remaining berths in the Italian Olympic team in Beijing. 

Di Cecco, the third best Italian marathon runner of all-time with his 2:08:02 win in Rome 2005, will return to a marathon seven months after his last appearance over the distance in Padua where he finished second in 2:10:39, a result which followed another runner-up spot in Venice in October 2006. Di Cecco, a member of the Carabinieri Bologna military team, produced the best result of his career at the Athens Olympic Games where he finished ninth.

Caimmi, whose wife Rosaria Console (also an international marathon runner with a win at the Vienna Marathon in 2004) gave birth to their first child Francesca in mid-October, will also run his second marathon of the year. The athlete of the Fiamme Gialle, sixth at the World Championships in Paris 2003, finished fourth in mid-April in Turin in 2:11:10. He set his lifetime best of 2:08:59 in the Milan City Marathon in 2002.

Denis Curzi (PB 2:11:17) will be the third italian contender.

The Kenyan challenge is led by Paul Ngeny Kipkemboi (PB 1:01:44 in the half marathon in Prato in 2002), Kennedy Kimeli Kemei (PB 2:13:36) and Paul Lopio Lomol (PB 2:13:16 in Zürich 2007). The pacemakers will also be Kenyans Erik Chirchir (PB 1:02:27 over 21 km) and Samson Cheboswony Kipruto (PB 2:17:58).

The course record was set last year by kenyan James Kutto who ran a notable 2:08:40.

In the women’s race the focus is set on last year’s Florence Marathon winner Vincenza Sicari who ran in 2:34:52 after struggling with physical problems in the final part of the race in what was her second marathon.

Following the good third place of Bruna Genovese in last week’s Tokyo marathon in 2:27:35 which secured her a place for the Olympic Games in Beijing, the race for the remaining two spots in the Italian team will be hot in the upcoming marathons. 

“Last year I was not happy with my race despite the win. My goal is to dip under 2:29 with a half marathon split in 1:14. It would be my new PB and a good credential to book a berth for the Olympic Games in Beijing”, said Sicari.

Sicari’s main rival in Sunday’s race in the Tuscan city will be Ethiopian Hirut Legesse Abera who ran 2:37:21 setting her PB in Thessaloniki in 2007.

The race will start from Piazzale Michelangelo which offers a fascinating overview of the Tuscan city and will finish in the Piazza Santa Croce. 
        
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF

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