In front of thousands of spectators there was also another fine performance by a German runner in Trier, as coming back from giving birth to a daughter half a year ago Irina Mikitenko finished in a promising third position. She clocked 16:18.
The 8k men’s race was won by Moses Kipsiro (Uganda) with 22:52. Former Kenyan and defending champion Mushir Salim Jawehr (Bahrain) was second in 23:02, while Belgium’s Guy Fays took third place (23:05). Emmanuel Mutai (Kenya) came in fourth with 23:06, followed by four more Kenyans.
At Bietigheim-Bissingen Germany’s Alexander Lubina won the 11.2km ‘Silvesterlauf’ clocking 32:40. Nicholas Koech (Kenya) was narrowly beaten, given the same time. Dieter Baumann, the 5000 m Olympic champion from Barcelona 1992 who now works as a coach, proved his fitness, taking third with 32:52. Cross country specialist Susanne Ritter won the women’s race in 37:23 while another German, Melanie Kraus, was second (37:27).
Today (1 Jan) Berlin saw Germany’s biggest New Year’s Race. 4010 runners participated in a 4km race which started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate. It was a non-competitive event for charity. Money was raised for the United Nations children's fund UNICEF.
Jörg Wenig for the IAAF