Start of 2003 Monaco Marathon outside IAAF HQ (© c)
Kenya’s Francis Kemboi and Russia’s Elena Kaledina were respectively the men’s and women’s winners of the 7th edition of the Monaco and Riviera Marathon in 2:20 and 2:44 this morning in the Principality.
In unusually cold and damp conditions, interrupted with occasional downpours of rain the Monaco and Riviera Marathon was started at 9.30am, in front of the IAAF Headquarters by S.A.S. le Prince héréditaire Albert, President of the Fédération Monégasque d’Athlétisme, and MM. Lamine Diack, President of IAAF, in the presence of dignitaries from the municipal areas crossed by the race.
The Marathon route took the 3000 plus runners through the French communities of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin and Menton before heading to Vintimille in Italy, and then returning to the Principality of Monaco where the race ended in the Stade Louis II.
Kemboi who is 37 years-old and has a best of 2:14:26 from placing fifth in the 2001 Dublin City race, was a class apart when it came to one of the closest finishes in the races history. Breaking the finishing tape in 2:20:08, Kemboi was just four seconds ahead of compatriot Linus Ngetich (2:20:12), who was in turn just five seconds ahead of third placer Sergei Kaledina of Russia (2:20:17).
There was better fortune for both Russia and the Kaledina family in the women’s race which saw Elena Kaledina, 35, (2:44:39) and Jeanna Malkova (2:46:49), take a one-two finish for Russia ahead of the more fancied Krystyna Kuta of Poland (2:47:28), who with a 2:32:22 (3rd Hamburg 1997) personal best was the second fastest of the women’s starters today.
However, in the weather conditions that prevailed today fast times anywhere approaching the race bests of Kenya’s Kenneth Cheruiyot’s 2:11:26 clocking (1999) and Italy’s Maura Viceconte 2:28:16 (1997), were never on the cards despite the fact that some of the major inclines on the course have been ‘softened’ over the last few years with changes to the race’s route.
A significant development this year was the introduction of a 10km race whose participants including HSH Prince Albert of Monaco, started on their way to the Stade, 30 minutes after the main marathon race had departed. The inaugural men’s winner was Eddy Naim (32:15.48) and the women’s was Anne Laure Fey (40:11.50), and there were 525 finishers.
Marathon Results
Men
1 Kemboi, Francis Ken 2:20:08.09
2 Ngetich, Linus Ken 2:20:12.07
3 Kaledina, Sergei Rus 2:20:17.43
4 Zenucchi, Emanuele Ita 2:20:29.12
5 Cheserek, Cheruiyot Ken 2:21:34.31
6 Ntawalikura, Mathias Rwa 2:22:04.34
7 Abyu Thomas, Eth 2:23:14.05
8 Palagouchine, Alexis Rus 2:24:29.87
Women
1 Kaledina, Elena Rus 2:44:39.45
2 Malkova, Jeanna Rus 2:46:49.24
3 Kuta, Krystyna Pol 2:47:28.99
