Danilo Goffi leads Francesco Bennici in 2005 Turin Marathon (© Lorenzo Sampaolo for the IAAF)
Turin, ItalyDanilo Goffi from Italy secured his berth in the Italian team for this summer’s World Championships in Helsinki with a win in 2:11:12 in the 15th edition of the Turin Marathon held in cold and rainy weather conditions today which dashed any hopes of a sub-2:10 time.
Goffi, 1998 European silver medallist and a 2:08:33 runner (PB set in Rotterdam in 1998), beat his Carabinieri Bologna clubmate Francesco Bennici who finished runner-up in 2:11:15 in his first serious attempt over the marathon distance. David Makori, a Kenyan coached by Renato Canova, completed the podium in 2:11:39.
Beatrice Omwanza, who attempted to attack to her 2:27:19 PB set last year in Berlin, took the honours in the women’s race in 2:30:40, beating the Russian Alevtina Biktimirova (2:31:39) and the Kenyan Rita Jeptoo (2:31:50).
MEN
Heavy rain made the task for the top-runners very difficult from the beginning. The two designated pacemakers Eljah Nyabuti and Philip Rugut ran the first 5km in 15:16, about six seconds slower than the pace agreed on the eve of the race. Seven athletes formed the leading pack. Among them Goffi and Bennici stayed at the top with the Kenyans David Kipkorir (PB 2:12:34) and Steven Rerimoi, and the surprising Moroccan Abdelkadir Lamachi.
The pace kept by the designated ‘rabbits’ was slower than planned due to the bad weather (30:52 at the 10 km and 46:07 at the 15 km). Makori went to the lead but the Italians were in control of the race, and were followed by Kipkorir and Lamachi. The pace was irregular with many ups and downs. After a 17km split run over an uphill section was clocked in a sluggish 3:20, the halfway mark was reached by the two pacemakers in 1:05:55 (3:22 between the 20 and the 21km).
Nyabuti was the first of the two pacemakers to drop out, leaving Rugut alone in his pace making task until 30km. He was followed by Goffi, Bennici, Kipkorir and Lamachi, and the race hot-up a little between the 23 and the 24km when these five leaders ran a 2:59 split followed by 3:01 in the section between the 24 and the 25km points.
Rugut then struggled and consequently the pace slowed (3:15 between the 27 and the 28km), and after reaching the 30km in 1:33:42 (with a last km in 3:06) Goffi took the lead but the Kenyans remained in contact. A split between the 34 and the 35 km in 2:55 was followed by another in 3:17 between 3:17, and at 37km Goffi launched his attack proper which finally dropped his African pursuers. Only Bennici, who has recently trained with Goffi and Olympic champion Stefano Baldini, managed to resist this move.
So it was left to Goffi and Bennici to run an exciting neck and neck race in the final 5km, and it was only in the final 500 metres that the former pulled away in Valentino Park to cross the finish-line in 2:11:12.
For Goffi, a 32-year-old born in Nerviano (near Milan), today’s win in Turin is the second of his marathon career coming a decade since his 1995 victory in Venice, when he crossed the finish-line in 2:09:26. Besides his European silver in 1998, he finished fourth at the 1997 World Championships in Athens, and fifth two years later at the Worlds in Seville.
“I came here to win,” confirmed Goffi. “I wanted to cancel out last year’s race in Turin when I was forced to drop out. The difficult period when I struggled to achieve good results made me doubt about my real potential. The second place in Venice in 2:09:55 last October was the beginning of a new era in my career. This win confirms that I am back and that I can go to Helsinki with confidence. Bad weather affected the final results but the most important result today was to win”, said a delighted Goffi, who is married to Tatiana and is father of the 11-month-old Gabriele.
Bennici fulfilled his true potential in his debut in the marathon at the age of 34 after a career of ups and downs. “I could not ask for more today. We could not run faster than 2:11 but it was a new experience for me today, so I am very happy today”, said Bennici.
“The race could not be faster. The top runners lost about 3 seconds per km. This means that the race could have been two minutes faster in better conditions”, said the Italian coach Renato Canova after the race.
WOMEN
The women’s race saw the two Kenyans Beatrice Omwanza and Rita Jeptoo battling with the Russian Alevtina Bitkimirova from the earliest kilometres. Omwanza, who won the Paris Marathon in 2003 (2:27:44), went to the front passing the 15km mark in 52:32 and the Half Marathon in 1:15:12.
Omwanza, who took control of the race from the 30km, launched her kick dropping Biktimirova and Jeptoo with 3km to go, to secure the third win of her career.
“I started to run at my PB pace but the weather conditions made this goal impossible. I will try again next September in Berlin”, said Omwanza.
Next year the Turin Marathon will change from its traditional spring date and will be scheduled on 24 September 2006.
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF
Results
Men:
1 Danilo Goffi (Italy) 2:11:12
2 Francesco Bennici (Italy) 2:11:15
3 David Makori (Kenya) 2:11:39
4 Abdelkedir Lamachi (Morocco) 2:11:54
5 David Kipkorir (Kenya) 2:12:49
6 Solomon Rotich (Kenya) 2:14:32
7 Habtamu Bekele (Ethiopia) 2:16:51
8 Steven Rerimoi (Kenya) 2:17:18
Women:
1 Beatrice Omwanza (Kenya) 2:30:40
2 Alevtina Biktimirova (Russia) 2:31:39
3 Rita Jeptoo (Kenya) 2:31:50
4 Marcella Mancini (Italy) 2:33:16
5 Meseret Kotu (Ethiopia) 2:35:47
