News18 Sep 2011

Tadese under one hour in Oporto

Sizzling 58:30 for Zersenay Tadese in Lisbon in 2011 (© Marcelino Almeida)

Oporto, PortugalEritrean Zersenay Tadese won today’s Oporto SportZone Half Marathon with a new course record of 59:30.

In a strong effort the organisers of the race invited Tadese to move the race to a new level. Several months after Tadese - the World record holder at 58:23 – clocked a 2011 world leading-58:30 in Lisbon, he returned to Portugal challenged by this invitation to improve his world record. But he didn’t receive the same support.

Tadese went out quickly but already passed the pace-setter Rui Pedro Silva before the first five kilometres. He reached 10Km in 27:52, on World record pace.

Although he couldn’t maintain the pace in the second half, he nonetheless managed to break the course record of 1:00:04 set by Haile Gebrselassie in 2009.

This was the fifth edition of this event, held in a historical region in the second most important town of Portugal, and the podium of the men's race was completed by Kenyans Philip Sanga (1:01:09) and Stanley Kipleting (1:01:10), followed by African runners until the 12th spot, taken by Portuguese Paulo Gomes in 1:04:53.

The women's race was won by Kenyan Doris Changeywo with 1:10:36 after a strong pace even from the start, leaving her opponents far behind.

But Portuguese Ana Dulce Félix, who clocked a national record of 1:08:33 this year in Lisbon, had a strong finish, and took second in 1:10:46, nine seconds clear of Kenyan Josephine Kimuyu.

António Manuel Fernandes for the IAAF

Leading Results -

Men:

1. Zersenay Tadese, ERI 59:30

2. Philip Kimutai Sanga, KEN 1:01:09

3. Stanley Biwott Kipleting, KEN 1:01:10

4. Amanuel Messel, ERI 1:01:20

5. Joel Kimurer, KEN 1:01:23

6. Kiflon Sium, ERI 1:01:54

7. Erick Kibet, KEN 1:02:01

8. Mike Kiprop Tiony, KEN 1:02:16

Women: