Rodgers
Rop wins Berlin 25km setting world best in 1:13:44 and Brother Colm’s Magdaline
Chemjor makes it a Kenyan double
Jörg Wenig for IAAF
6 May 2001 – Berlin - Once again a major road race in Berlin has showed that the streets of the German capital seem to be ideal for running world class times. Only five weeks ago Fabián Roncero of Spain broke the hour in the Berlin Half Marathon and set the fastest time of the year for the distance (59:52). In the same race Rodgers Rop came in third with 60.57 minutes. The Kenyan returned to Berlin this weekend and achieved another world best time. The 25-year-old won the 21st 25 km von Berlin in 1:13.44, lowering the world best by eleven seconds. The previous best stood at 1:13:55 set by Joseph Kariuki (Kenya) in Michigan in 1998. Magdaline Chemjor made it a Kenyan double, winning in 1:25.11.
5277 runners from 46 nations competed in the traditional race, first established by the French allied forces in West Berlin and then called 25 km de Berlin.
“I did not expect the race to become this fast”, Rodgers Rop said, who belongs to Volker Wagner’s Detmold based training group along with Tegla Loroupe and Joyce Chepchumba. Rop earned 8500 German marks (about 4000 US Dollar) for his achievement in Berlin. For both winners it was their first 25 k race and the longest distance they have ever competed. Of course as there are few international 25 k races so world best times are considered easier than others. The distance has lost importance since the IAAF staged the first Half Marathon World Championships in 1992.
But still, Berlin saw another great race although the weather was not perfect for African runners. With 9 ° Celsius and a side wind it felt quite chilly and second placed Restituta Joseph (Tanzania/1:26.20) was among those suffering from muscle problems. The men set a moderate pace taking into account that the loop course drops for the first couple of kilometres. The 10km point was reached in 30:03 when Rop and John Yuda (Tanzania) strongly picked up the pace, leaving the rest of the field well behind. It was only in the last 1000 metres of the race, which finished outside the Olympic Stadium this year due to the rebuilding of the arena, that Rop could open a gap between him and Yuda. The Tanzanian also ran a first class time (1:13.56) and then was so tired that he fell asleep during the press conference an hour later! While Yuda slept Rodgers Rop announced he would like to return to Berlin for the third time this year to run his marathon debut on 30th September. “He felt comfortable with the fast pace so he should be able to run a good marathon”, Volker Wagner said.
While the race organisers had invited one of Kenya’s fathers of running, Brother Colm O’Connell, as a guest of honour he did not come alone. And eventually Brother Colm brought the winner. For 22-year-old Magdaline Chemjor it was her biggest win so far. “She did not run until she was 17. That was when she arrived at Item and stayed for two years. Afterwards I continued coaching her, and she is now a professional runner”, Brother Colm said. None of her nine siblings has taken up Magdaline’s sport although the inspiration is on their doorstep: Paul Tergat owns the neighbouring farm of Magdaline Chemjor’s parents.
Results:
Men: 1. Rodgers Rop KEN 1:13:44, 2. John Yuda TAN 1:13:56, 3. John Nada TAN 1:15:13, 4. Fred Getange KEN 1:15:15, 5. Artur Osman POL 1:15:25, 6. Hillary Lelei KEN 1:16:23, 7. Wilson Pkanaka KEN 1:17:07, 8. Jean Paul Niyonsaba BUR 1:17:22, 9. Philip Rist SUI 1:17:39, 10. Dimitri Kapitonov RUS 1:18:24, 11. John Mutai KEN 1:18:38, 12. Filippo Lazzara ITA 1:18:47.
Women: 1. Magdaline Chemjor KEN 1:25:11, 2. Restituta Joseph TAN 1:26:20, 3. Jacquline Jerutich KEN 1:27:06, 4. Ornella Ferrara ITA 1:27:21, 5. Dorota Gruca POL 1:28:27, 6. Ljudmila Afonjuschkina RU 1:28:49, 7. Helen Chepngeno KEN 1:29:42, 8. Annette Wolfrom GER 1:32:15.
