Tegla Loroupe (© Getty Images)
Cologne, Germany Kenya's Benjamin Rotich and Tegla Loroupe won the men's and women's races in the Cologne marathon on Sunday.
Rotich crossed the line in two hours, 12 minutes and 5 seconds, 16 seconds ahead of Tanzania's Andrew Zambu, while Loroupe won her race in 2:33.48.
This seventh running of the event, in front of half a million spectators, had a record number of participants with 25,000 runners from 57 countries.
Results from Cologne:
Men:
1. Benjamin Rotich (KEN) 2:12:03
2. Andrew Sambu (TAN) 2:12:18
3. Stephen Kiogora (KEN) 2:12:29
4. David Simukwo (KEN) 2:12:37
5. Barnabas Kenduiywo (KEN) 2:13:12
Women:
1. Tegla Loroupe (KEN) 2:33:48
2. Manuela Zipse (GER) 2:38:06
3. Ines Cronjaeger (GER) 2:44:37
Surprise Russian winner in Kosice
Kosice, East Slovakia - Not the favourites from Kenya, but East European runners dominated on Sunday the 73rd and rainy edition of the oldest marathon in Europe.
The winner of the International Peace Marathon in Kosice was surprisingly Russian Grigoriy Andreyev (27 years) with a solid time of 2:13:24 - his personal best. Until now he had 2:15:35 in the Ufa Marathon in Russia in this year.
Andreyev is the first Russian winner since 1990 as Nikolay Kolesnikov was the best, but at that time representing Soviet Union. His result is the second best winning mark as only Kenyan David Kariuki (who withdrew from the race on Friday) last year with course record 2:12:40 was better. It is third best result overall, last year second Pole Adam Dobrzynski achieved 2:12:53.
Belarus favourite Yelena Mazovka (36 years) was the best female runner with a good 2:39:23 and this is also the first ever Belarus win at the competition.
Second place was achieved by Ukrainian runner Mihaylo Iveruk (in a new personal best 2:13:33) and third was last year's second-placer Adam Dobrzynski from Poland (2:14:23). Slovak Marcel Matanin was fourth with respectable 2:17:55 in debut.
Another favourite and half marathon world champion 1997 in Kosice Shem Kororia from Kenya was only 8th with low 2:22:39. By the way, his championship record since 1997 (59:56) was not surpassed also in Vilamoura on Saturday which shows the quality of Kosice course.
In the race Dobrzynski was leading from the 30th kilometre and had a lead of over 100 metres. Heading for the finish he was losing his power so Andreyev caught him in last two kilometres.
"Rainy weather was exactly what I wanted. I had my tactics and I kept to it. I did not risk and ran my own pace from the start.
"My Kosice win is so far the biggest achievement of my career," said Andreyev.
The pace was made by Ali Ezayedi from Lybia and the best Slovak marathon runner in history Robert Stefko who took the runners to the 30 km mark.
In total 451 runners competed (423 men and 28 women). Winners got 5000 Euros and 2500 Euros respectively. Course records remained at: men - 2:12:40 David Kariuki, KEN 2002, women - 2:31:28 Alena Peterkova, TCH 1989.
results
Marathon
men:
1. Grigoriy Andreyev (RUS) 2:13:24 h, 2. Mihaylo Iveruk (UKR) 2:13:35, 3. Adam Dobrzynski (POL) 2:14:23, 4. Marcel Matanin (SVK) 2:17:55, 5. Eduard Tukhbatulin (RUS) 2:19:55, 6. Viktor Rogovoy (UKR) 2:21:43
women:
1. Yelena Mazovka (BLR) 2:39:23, 2. Ivana Martincova (CZE) 2:50:22, 3. Irina Lebedeva (UKR) 2:57:27
Half Marathon:
men:
1. Miroslav Vanko (SVK) 1:08:16
women:
1. Gabriela Benkö (HUN) 1:25:22
