News09 Apr 2006


Kimugul wins Golden Shoe title to confirm impressive form

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Paul Kimayo Kimugul wins 2006 Golden Shoe 8km (© Lorenzo Sampaolo)

Kenyan Paul Kimayo Kimugul took victory in the 27th edition of the Golden Shoe 8km road race in Vigevano yesterday (Sat 8), just one week after his impressive victory at the Stramilano Half Marathon.

The race run over a challenging course through a circuit to be repeated seven times developed at a slow pace in the first two laps.(3:31 in the first lap and 3:26 in the second). Italians Gabriele De Nard and Giovanni Gualdi took the early lead in the first lap with six africans following closely on their shoulders.

De Nard, Italian cross country champion and one of the best Europeans at last week’s World Cross Country Championships in Fukuoka, was the only Italian able to keep the pace with six Africans who took a solid margin over the rest of the field after three laps.

Kimugul ran in the front of the leading pack in the third lap with his compatriot William Chebon Chebor, Wilfred Taragon, Martin Sulle and Philemon Kisang Kipchumba, upping
the pace breaking away from his rivals during the fourth lap. He built up a solid margin in the fourth lap (3:15) and his victory did not seem under threat until the final lap when Kipchumba Kisang produced a dramatic surge narrowing the gap on Kimugul.

The 25-year-old Kimugul, who hails from the Kalenjin tribe and lives in a small village near Kapsabet in the Keyo district, managed to hold off Kisang’s final kick in the final metres of the race in the Renaissance Piazza Ducale. Kimugul edged out Kisang by just one second crossing the finish-line in 23:03.

Former World Half Marathon bronze medallist Martin Sulle of Tanzania, who finished runner-up in the Stramilano, prevented a Kenyan sweep ending up in third place in 23:05, just one second faster than kenyan Wilfred Kipkoech Taragon, who ran 60:46 only one week ago in a very fast half marathon in Berlin. Gabriele De Nard was the first Italian home in seventh place behind six Africans.

“It was a fantastic race,” said Kimugul. “I decided to break away in the fourth. It was at this point that I realized that I could win. I did not plan to run in Vigevano after running 21 km in the Stramilano but my boss asked me to compete here before the London Marathon where I will act as a pacemaker until the 30 km.”

“My task in London will be to run 1:02:20 at halfway. As regards my debut in the marathon I may run in Venice in October but it has not been officially decided yet,” concluded Kimugul who frequently trains with World marathon record holder Paul Tergat when he is in Kenya.

Ivan Heshko from the Ukraine, World Indoor champion in the 1500 metres in Moscow last month, could not pose a challenge to African dominance over a long distance and was never a factor finishing 23rd.

“It was not my distance and the course was very tough,” said Hesko. “But I am not worried. It was a “training race” in preparation for the track season. On Monday I will return to my country to train in the mountains. I will double the 800 and the 1500 metres at the European Cup. Before Gothenburg I am planning some fast 800 metres races in June and three big 1500 metres in Paris, Rome and Stockolm”, said Heshko.

Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF

Results: 27th edition of the Golden Shoe

1 Paul Kimayo Kimugul (Kenya)  23:03
2 Philemon Kipchumba Kisang (Kenya) 23:04
3 Martin Sulle (Tanzania)   23:05
4 Wilfred Kipkoech Taragon (Kenya) 23:06
5 Philemon Tarbei Kirwa (Kenya)  23:20
6 William Chebor Chebon (Kenya) 23:28
7 Gabriele De Nard (Italy)   23:42
8 Kenneth Kiplimo Kosgei (Kenya) 24:00
9 Daniele Meucci (Italy)   24:02
10 Daniele Meucci (Italy)    24:03
11 Dejene Nigussie (Ethiopia)  24:10
12 Rachid Berradi (Italy)   24:13 

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