Europe’s oldest marathon received the best possible gift on its 80th anniversary, a new course record for the men and the second best ever time for the women.
29-years old Pole, Adam Dobrzynski from Gdansk after being 3rd and 2nd in last two years bettered the course record by 5 seconds with 2:12:35 for the win.
Japanese runner Rika Tabashi from Fukuoka led the women’s field from the start to the finish. Her reward was new personal best of 2:33:52 the second best ever time in Kosice behind the course record of Alena Peterkova (CZE) 2:31:28 in 1989.
Politicians on the run
Slovak Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda (49 years old) was running his 19th marathon (14th in Kosice) and achieved his best time while serving as Prime Minister (since 1998) with 3:28:13. It was his fifth marathon while in that function. His best from earlier years is 2:54:57 (1986), while Finland’s foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja finished 367th in the Half marathon (1:54:26).
In the history of Kosice marathon there are now 236 men times under 2:20 and 146 women times under 3:00.
Results:
Men:
1. Adam Dobrzynski,POL 2:12:35 CR (1:06:02)
2. Pius Maritim Kipruto, KEN 2:15:44
3. Dmytro Osadchyi, UKR 2:15:50 PB (1:07:32)
Women:
1. Rika Tabashi,JPN 2:33:52 PB (1:16:36)
2. Sue Harrison, GBR 2:37:00 (1:17:31)
3. Ida Kovacs,HUN 2:40:42
Half marathon
Men: 1. Miroslav Vanko, SVK 1:07:24,...367. Erkki Tuomioja, FIN (Minister of foreign affairs of Finland) 1:54:26
Women: 1. Ludmila Melicherova,SVK 1:22:14
