Joseph Ebuya takes a big New year's Eve victory in Amadora (© organisers)
A pair of strong displays of racing in Amadora highlighted the year-end road racing action in Portugal over the past several days.
In front of thousands of spectators who lined the streets of this working class town near Lisbon, the men’s race at the “Corrida Internacional de São Silvestre da Amadora” was very competitive and only after the eighth kilometre did Kenyan 500m standout Joseph Ebuya make his break.
Ebuya was second in Amadora in 2006, and proved to know the course, making his move on a difficult part, leaving behind his compatriot Nicholas Korir and Portuguese Manuel Damião. Ebuya crossed the finish line in 28:39, 10 seconds faster than his 2006 run, but 12 seconds shy of the course record set by Moses Masai in 2007.
Korir and Damião finished second and third, respectively, 18 seconds ahead of Keneth Kiplimo (KEN), Urige Buta (ETH) and Abrha Adhanon (ERI).
In the women’s race, Portugal’s Dulce Félix, who was sixth at the European Cross Country Championships last month, produced a largely solo effort, going to the front in the third kilometre and never challenged. She crossed the line in 32:29, 28 seconds quicker than in her triumph in Amadora last year.
Well back, another Portuguese, Sara Moreira was second and Kenyan Elizabeth Rumokol third.
Other year-end races
Amadora is the only race scheduled on New Year’s Eve, but there are several other races with the ‘S. Silvestre’ name organised two and three weeks before the last day of the year!
But, the most important of them are held on the last Sunday (27) of the year in Lisbon and Porto, on the 28th in Funchal on Madeira Island, and on the 30th in Olivais.
Attracting the most participants was the S. Silvestre of Lisbon (27), with 3000 runners. The men’s race was won by Portuguese José Ramos in 29:49 just one second ahead of compatriot Hermano Ferreira. Dulce Félix dominated here as well winning in 32:30, well ahead of Ana Dias who clocked 33:48.
In the Porto 10Km (27), Portuguese Rui Pedro Silva took the men’s race in 29:53, ahead of José Rocha (30:04). In the women’s contest, Sara Moreira took the victory in 33:12 ahead of Marisa Barros (33:27) and veteran Fernanda Ribeiro (34.11).
The next day in Funchal (28) was a virtual rerun, albeit over the shorter 6Km distance. Silva took the men’s race in 16:40, one second ahead of Portuguese Eduardo Mbengani, while Ribeiro, the former Olympic, World and European champion, collected her fourth Porto victory in 19:23, ahead of Belgian Veerle Dejaeghere (19:24) and Karolina Jarzyuska (19.52) of Poland.
Finally, on 30 December in Olivais (Lisbon), Kenyan Elijah Birgen prevailed in the 10Km in 30:29, ahead of Latvian Valerijs Zolnerovic (30:40) and defending champion Nikolay Chaukin (30:42) of Russia. In the women’s race, Portuguese Sandra Teixeira won with 36:35, 16 seconds ahead of Kenyan Winin Jepkorir.
António Manuel Fernandes for the IAAF
Leading results from the 35th S. SILVESTRE DA AMADORA (31-Dec-2009):
Men-
1. Joseph Ebuya, KEN 28:39
2. Nicholas Korir, KEN 29:00
3. Manuel Damião, POR 29:02
4. Kenneth Kiplimo, KEN 29:20
5. Urige Buta, ETH 29:20
6. Abrha Adhanon, ERI 29:29
7. Hermano Ferreira, POR 29:35
8. Eduardo Mbengani, POR 29:47
Women -
1. Dulce Félix, POR 32:27
2. Sara Moreira, POR 33:04
3. Elisabeth Rumokol, KEN 33:50
4. Mónica Rosa, POR 34:23
5. Irina Sergeyeva, RUS 34:31
6. Filomena Costa, POR 35:15
7. Lebogang Phalula, RSA 35:40
8. Marina Bastos, POR 38:46
In front of thousands of spectators who lined the streets of this working class town near Lisbon, the men’s race at the “Corrida Internacional de São Silvestre da Amadora” was very competitive and only after the eighth kilometre did Kenyan 500m standout Joseph Ebuya make his break.
Ebuya was second in Amadora in 2006, and proved to know the course, making his move on a difficult part, leaving behind his compatriot Nicholas Korir and Portuguese Manuel Damião. Ebuya crossed the finish line in 28:39, 10 seconds faster than his 2006 run, but 12 seconds shy of the course record set by Moses Masai in 2007.
Korir and Damião finished second and third, respectively, 18 seconds ahead of Keneth Kiplimo (KEN), Urige Buta (ETH) and Abrha Adhanon (ERI).
In the women’s race, Portugal’s Dulce Félix, who was sixth at the European Cross Country Championships last month, produced a largely solo effort, going to the front in the third kilometre and never challenged. She crossed the line in 32:29, 28 seconds quicker than in her triumph in Amadora last year.
Well back, another Portuguese, Sara Moreira was second and Kenyan Elizabeth Rumokol third.
Other year-end races
Amadora is the only race scheduled on New Year’s Eve, but there are several other races with the ‘S. Silvestre’ name organised two and three weeks before the last day of the year!
But, the most important of them are held on the last Sunday (27) of the year in Lisbon and Porto, on the 28th in Funchal on Madeira Island, and on the 30th in Olivais.
Attracting the most participants was the S. Silvestre of Lisbon (27), with 3000 runners. The men’s race was won by Portuguese José Ramos in 29:49 just one second ahead of compatriot Hermano Ferreira. Dulce Félix dominated here as well winning in 32:30, well ahead of Ana Dias who clocked 33:48.
In the Porto 10Km (27), Portuguese Rui Pedro Silva took the men’s race in 29:53, ahead of José Rocha (30:04). In the women’s contest, Sara Moreira took the victory in 33:12 ahead of Marisa Barros (33:27) and veteran Fernanda Ribeiro (34.11).
The next day in Funchal (28) was a virtual rerun, albeit over the shorter 6Km distance. Silva took the men’s race in 16:40, one second ahead of Portuguese Eduardo Mbengani, while Ribeiro, the former Olympic, World and European champion, collected her fourth Porto victory in 19:23, ahead of Belgian Veerle Dejaeghere (19:24) and Karolina Jarzyuska (19.52) of Poland.
Finally, on 30 December in Olivais (Lisbon), Kenyan Elijah Birgen prevailed in the 10Km in 30:29, ahead of Latvian Valerijs Zolnerovic (30:40) and defending champion Nikolay Chaukin (30:42) of Russia. In the women’s race, Portuguese Sandra Teixeira won with 36:35, 16 seconds ahead of Kenyan Winin Jepkorir.
António Manuel Fernandes for the IAAF
Leading results from the 35th S. SILVESTRE DA AMADORA (31-Dec-2009):
Men-
1. Joseph Ebuya, KEN 28:39
2. Nicholas Korir, KEN 29:00
3. Manuel Damião, POR 29:02
4. Kenneth Kiplimo, KEN 29:20
5. Urige Buta, ETH 29:20
6. Abrha Adhanon, ERI 29:29
7. Hermano Ferreira, POR 29:35
8. Eduardo Mbengani, POR 29:47
Women -
1. Dulce Félix, POR 32:27
2. Sara Moreira, POR 33:04
3. Elisabeth Rumokol, KEN 33:50
4. Mónica Rosa, POR 34:23
5. Irina Sergeyeva, RUS 34:31
6. Filomena Costa, POR 35:15
7. Lebogang Phalula, RSA 35:40
8. Marina Bastos, POR 38:46