Aniko Kalovics beating the heat at the Turin Marathon (© Lorenzo Sampaolo)
Hungarian star Aniko Kalovics notched up the second Italian Marathon win of her career at today’s Turin Marathon, clocking 2:29:24 on a sunny and warm day with temperatures rising to 23° C which ultimately slowed the final times.
Kenya claimed top three spots in the men’s race which saw Italian Daniele Caimmi finishing fourth in his comeback race. The winner was Philemon Tarbei who crossed the finish line in 2:10:24 in his debut over the distance. Yusuf Songoka took the runner-up spot in 2:10:51 ahead of Hillary Bett (2:11:05) and Caimmi (2:11:10).
Cautious early-going - men’s race
In the men’s race Italian Giuliano Battocletti and Kenyan Jackson Kirwa were the designated pacemakers, but the Kenyan remained the only man charged to set the pace after the Italian dropped out earlier than plannned at 10 kilometres. Kirwa led a seven-man group which included Caimmi, Songoka, Alfonsi Yatich, Bett, Tarbei, and Abdelkebir Lamachi from Morocco, covering the first half in 1:04:22.
Caimmi went to the front in the 27th kilometre when the course entered the Valentino Park, the green area of Turin. The Italian took the initiative going to the front with repeated attacks but he could not drop the Kenyans Songoka, Tarbei and Bett.
At 30 km, Caimmi and Tarbei ran in the front, passing in 1:32:29, followed by Songoka and Bett. Caimmi acted as a pacer with a brave front running tactic until 36 km which was the slowest kilometre split (3:14). This front-running effort cost him a lot in the final kilometres.
“The race did not go as planned,” said a disappointed Caimmi. “The pacemakers did not make a good job. I am disappointed because I had to run as the pacemaker and the Kenyans never helped.”
At 37 km Songoka attacked, running this kilometre split in 3:06, as Caimmi was dropped to fourth place, now trailing both Tarbei and Bett. Over the next kilometre, run in a slower 3:09, Caimmi managed to close the gap on the Kenyan trio returning into contention for the win briefly, until the 39th kilometre when Tarbei launched his decisive attack. The Kenyan secured his first Marathon victory which was the eighth Kenyan triumph in the history of the Turin race.
“It was very hard today because pacemakers did not make a good job,” said Tarbei. “I congratulate Caimmi who ran a good race, going into the front for most of the competition. It was a good race considering that it was my first Marathon ever. Now I am going back to Kenya to prepare my next race. I will discuss with my manager where I will compete.”
Tarbei hails from Kapsabet and trains with Hillary Bett under the guidance of Amos Korir near tea plantations in the Nandi Hills. He competes for the Italian Club Cover Mapei Verbania for which women’s race winner Aniko Kalovics also competes.
Kalovics from the front to her second Marathon win
The Hungarian ran in the front from the beginning, paced by her fiancé and coach Zsolt Zsoder. Kalovics follwed a 2:26 pace in the first part, in line with a possible attack to her Hungarian record of 2:26:43 set in Carpi last autumn.
She built a gap of 1:31 over Kenyan Caroline Kwambai in the first half, reaching the halfway mark in 1:13:15.
But the warm day took its toll on her effort. She slowed her pace in the second half but her victory was never under threat. Her pace was slowed and any hopes to attack her national record were dashed by the 35th Kilometre, when she was running at 2:28 pace. But the Hungarian increased her gap on Kwambai to five minutes in the final kilometres. A tired Kalovics suffered from some stomach pain but she nonetheless managed to dip under 2:30.
“I am very happy with my second Marathon win but at the end I was very tired,” said Kalovics. “The second half was very hard because it was very warm and the course was tough. But what mattered most was to win today. My next Marathon may be New York next November.”
The Turin race was run on a new course from Via Po to Piazza Castello in the heart of the Olympic city which hosted the Winter Olympic Games in February 2006, and attracted a lot of enthusiastic spectators.
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF
Leading results -
MEN -
1. Philemon Tarbei (Kenya) 2:10:24
2. Yusuf Songoka (Kenya) 2:10:51
3. Hillary Bett (Kenya) 2:11:05
4. Daniele Caimmi (Italy) 2:11:10
5. José Telles De Souza (Brazil) 2 :14 :19
6. Alfonsi Yatich (Kenya) 2:19:34
WOMEN -
1. Aniko Kalovics (Hungary) 2:29:24
2. Caroline Kwambai (Kenya) 2:34:52
3. Justina Bak (Poland) 2:40:14
4. Letay Negash (Ethiopia) 2:42:55
