Carsten Eich and Luminita Zaituc won the German Half Marathon Championships in Herten on Sunday (26). Eich clocked 64:38 minutes while Zaituc ran 74:37. But there was some dissent since Kenyan runners were able to officially enter the national championships.
A new rule allow foreigners to compete officially at national championships in Germany from this year on if they have mainly lived in Germany for two years, compete for a German club and have not run in any championship races for their original country. Carsten Eich had to defeat Kenyan Abraham Tendoi (64:57) while Stefan Koch was third (65:11).
In the women’s race Kenyan Viola Bor clocked 74:36 minutes to beat Luminita Zaituc by one second. But Bor was disqualified a day later because she had competed at Kenyan Cross Country Championships. Julia Viellehner had crossed the line third in 75:14 while Michaela Schedler was fourth (76:26).
Jörg Wenig for the IAAF
