Rosalba Console wins the Carpi Marathon (© Lorenzo Sampaolo)
In her comeback race after maternity leave, Italian marathoner Rosaria Console won the Maratona d’Italia from Maranello to Carpi in 2:30:44.
For Console, the wife of Italian marathon runner Daniele Caimmi, today’s win represented a perfect birthday’s present for their daughter Francesca who was born exactly one year ago on 12 October 2007. This year’s Carpi race also hosted the World Military Championships and the Italian national Championships. Console, who runs for the military team Fiamme Gialle, took both titles beating 2:23:12 runner Wei Yanan from China who also competed for the world military title finishing second in 2:33.29. Ivana Iozzia finished third in 2:34:07 setting a new PB.
Ben Kipruno Chebet took the honours in the men’s race smashing his PB by two minutes to 2:10:50 holding off David Chepkwony Kiptanui by seven seconds. The world military title went to Poland’s Adam Draczynski in 2:12.21 beating Italian Alberico Di Cecco (2:13:16) who won the Italian Championships title.
Women’s race -
The first part of the race, run on a downhill section of the course, was led by Alemtsehay Hailu Kakissa from Ethiopia and Margaret Atodonyang from Kenya who went through 20 km in 1:09:03 and reached the halfway mark in 1:13:01. Console and Wei chased the African duo reaching the halfway mark in 1:14:43. Kakissa continued to lead until the 25 km mark which she passed in 1:27:55. Console and Wei began reducing the gap after 20 km and reached the Africans before 30 km. Console increased her gap to one minute and a half at 35 km (2:03:57). At this point she secured her win of the world military title and of the Italian marathon title. In her previous appearance in Carpi Console finished second in 2:28:48 in the race won by Anko Kalovics.
“I am very happy because it was not easy to return after the maternity leave,” Console said. “I suffered from a foot problem one month ago. The final time was not special but this win is a present for my daughter Francesca.”
Men’s race -
Ten men led the race in the first half reaching the midway mark in 1:04:38. The leading pack included Kenyans Ben Kipruno Chebet, David Chepkwony Kiptanui and Barnabas Koech, Adam Draczynski, Italians Alberico Di Cecco and Denis Curzi and Qatar’s Moustafa Ahmed Shebto.
Koech, Kiptanui, and Chebet opened up a gap of 15 seconds over Shebto at 35 km (1:48:13). While they slowed down their pace in the final kilometres, Alberico Di Cecco and Adam Draczynski engaged their battle for the world military gold medal.
The race for the final win heted up at 40 km when Kiptanui and Chebet broke away from Koech increasing their lead to 16 seconds (2:03:55 to 2:04:11). Meanwhile Draczynski broke clear of Di Cecco securing the world military gold medal for himself and for the Polish team.
Chebet unleashed his decisive attack in the final km and secured his win in a new PB which he improved from 2:12:04 to 2:10:50.
Celebration of Dorando Pietri’s Olympic centenary
This year’s Carpi Marathon was a very special race because it celebrated the centenary race of Dorando Pietri at the Olympic Games in London 1908.
During 2008 Carpi hosted a series of initiatives to remember the legendary runner from Correggio near Carpi. An exibition where the famous cup presented by Queen Alexandra to the unfortunate Italian runner was on display was held in the centre of Carpi.
On 24 July 1908 Pietri entered the Olympic stadium first but exhausted by his efforts in front of 80,000 spectators he collapsed and was helped to his feet by officials. He fell three times before crossing the finish line 32 seconds ahead of the next finishing runner. He was disqualified for receiving assistance but his name has remained among athletics legends. A statue of Pietri was unveiled on 24 July 2008 during a special ceremony to commemorate this legendary race. A fascinating book on Dorando Pietri’s life was written by Atalian sport writer Augusto Frasca.
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF
Leading results –
MEN -
1. Ben Kipruno Chebet (Kenya) 2:10:50
2. David Chepkwony Kiptanui (Kenya) 2:10:57
3. Barnabas Koech (Kenya) 2:11:19
4. Adam Draczynski (Poland) 2:12:21
5. Alberico Di Cecco (Italy) 2:13:16
6. Moustafa Ahmed Shebto (Qatar) 2:13:28
7. Ashebir Demissu Jote (Ethiopia) 2:13:34
8. Joseph Keino (Kenya) 2:13:35
9. Denis Curzi (Italy) 2:14:18
10. Michal Kaczmarek (Polan) 2:16:43
WOMEN -
1. Rosalba Console (Italy) 2:30:44
2. Yanan Wei (China) 2:33:29
3. Ivana Iozzia (Italy) 2:34:07
4. Josephine Wangoi (Kenya) 2:38:33
5. Alemtsehai Hailu Kakissa (Ethiopia) 2:39:05
6. Renate Rungger (Italy) 2:39:59
