News12 Apr 2009


Mikitenko takes Paderborn and is ready for London

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Irina Mikitenko wins the 2008 Flora London Marathon (© Getty Images)

The reigning champion Irina Mikitenko is on schedule for the Flora London Marathon on 26 April. The German marathon record holder (2:19:19) took the 10 k race at the traditional Easter Race in Paderborn (Germany) on Saturday, clocking 31:22. This is the second fastest time in the world this year and the second fastest ever by a German. Mikitenko’s performance was the highlight of the Paderborner Osterlauf.
 
“I am happy with this result. It is a time which suits me fine, because it was my aim to run 31:30 today,” said 36-year-old Mikitenko, who dominated the race after taking the lead at 4km. She then passed the 5km point on schedule in 15:45 and was able to run the second half slightly faster. Finishing with 31:22 she was more than a minute ahead of Kenyans Sally Barsosio (32:25) and Alice Mogire (33:21). 
 
Mikitenko had returned from her high altitude training camp in Kirgisia last Monday (6). She had stayed there for four weeks and was able to train very well.

“Running on the fifth day after coming down from high altitude is probably not ideal, but it is all scheduled for London and Paderborn was just a test,” said Mikitenko. Regarding the sudden very warm weather with temperatures between 23 and 25° Celsius she said: “I felt it was a little bit too warm, especially because of the change of temperature.”
 
Mikitenko’s time is the second fastest in the world this year behind Vivian Cheruiyot (Kenya), who had won in Puerto Rico with 31:12. Mikitenko’s German record from 2008 stands at 30:57. Winning in Paderborn is a good omen for Mikitenko. A year ago she had taken the half marathon of the event and then went on to win in London.
 
The men’s race was won by Peter Kamais (Kenya) with 28:16. Job Tanui (Kenya/28:23) and Urige Arado Buta (Norway/28:24) took second and third.
Kenyans also dominated the half marathon event, which was staged after the 10 k race. They took the first eight places with Stephen Koech winning in 62:34 from Eliud Kiplagat (62:37) and Phillip Rugut (62:41).
 
There was another German winner in the women’s half marathon: Susanne Hahn clocked 1:13:19, beating Kenyans Irene Cherop (1:14:11) and Loise Kangogo (1:14:54).
 
A record number of more than 8000 runners had entered the Paderborner Osterlauf.
 
Jörg Wenig for the IAAF
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