Bolt named World Athlete of the Year for the 4th time in 5 years while Felix wins the women's award for the first time

Fastest person ever, reigning triple Olympic champion in sprints and five-time world champion Usain Bolt, 26,  of Jamaica was named  the 2012 IAAF World Athlete of the Year  for the 4th time after 2008, 2009 and 2011 over hurdler Aries Merritt (USA) and runner David Rudisha (KEN)

Allyson Felix, 27, from Los Angeles, USA was awarded the 2012 Female World Athlete of the Year title for the first time. She won three gold medals in 200m, 4x100m and 4x400m at the London Olympics, first women athlete to win three golds in a single Olympics games since 1988.

Both the sprinters also carried away cash prize of USD100,000.


The awards were hosted by International Athletic Foundation (IAF) Honorary President HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco and IAF & IAAF President Lamine Diack, who presented the trophies to the Female and Male winners respectively.

The other awards announced in the final day of the IAAF's 100th anniversary celebration held in Barcelona yesterday were:

David Rudisha (KEN) – Male Performance of the Year 
USA Olympic 4x100m Relay team - Female Performance of the Year 
Aries Merritt (USA) - IAAF Inspiration Award 
Keshorn Walcott (TRI) - Male Rising Star 
Antonique Strachan (BAH) - Female Rising Star 
Rob Lida (USA) - Male Master Athlete 
Lynn Ventris (AUS) - Female Master Athlete


Ref. IAAF

2:11:35 (CR) - Raymond Bett leads 6 Kenyans to top 6 placings in 30th Athens Classic Marathon yesterday

 Raymond Bett led 6 fellow Kenyan countrymen among 9,500 runners to win the top 6 places of the 30th edition of the Athens Classic Marathon in a new course record time of 2:11:35 beating the previous record  of 2:11:40 set by Abdelkrim Boubker of Morocco. He was the winner here 2 years ago.

Another Kenyan Chemtai Yadaa won the women's title in 2:40:00 (CR 2:31:06 Rasa Drazdauskaite (LTU) 2010)

There were a total of 26,000 participants in all races

The hilly route of Athens Classic Marathon is the original marathon course created for the inaugural 1896 modern Olympics

Top finishers:
Men
1) 2:11:35 (CR) - Raymond Bett (KEN)
2) 2:12:20 - Paul Kosgei (KEN)
3) 2:12:26 - Alex Kirui (KEN)
Women
1) 2:40:0 - Chemtai Yadaa (KEN)
2) 2:40:07 - Svitlana Stanko (UKR)
3) 2:40:28 - Viola Chelangat Kimetto (KEN)

Tokyo Marathon 2013 will be added as the 6th WMM race

The Tokyo Marathon 2013 will be added as the 6th member of the World Marathon Majors (WMM)  after Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York and will kick off the 2013 WMM series on 24 February followed by Boston on 15 April, London on 21 April, Berlin on 29 September, Chicago in October and New York in November.

The Tokyo Marathon has been one of the world's largest mass marathon races and is currently attracting about 300,000  runners for the 36,000 slots at the Start with about 10% foreigners.

The Tokyo course records of 2:07:23 for men and 2:25:28 for women are currently held by Viktor Rothlin of Switzerland in 2008 and Atsede Habtamu of Ethiopia in 2012 respectively

2:05:46 - New Course Record again in Eindhoven Marathon by Kenyan Chumba

Dickson Kiptolo Chumba of Kenya  won the 29th De Lage Landen Marathon Eindhoven   , the third larges marathon in Holland, this morning in another new course record time of 2:05:46 (PB), beating the old record by a mere two-second margin set by compatriot Jafred Chirchir last year and lead a 1-2-3 Kenyan sweep in the men's finishing.

Aberume Mekuria of Ethiopia won the women's race in her personal best time of 2:27:20

The top finishers:
Men
1) 2:05:46 (CR) (PB) - Dickson Chumba (KEN)
2) 2:06:11 - Franklin Chepkwony (KEN)
3) 2:06:17 - Erick Ndiema (KEN)
Women
1) 2:27:20 (PB) - Aberume Mekuri (ETH)
2) 2:28:18 - Miranda Boonstra (NED)
3) 2:30:31 - Dinkenesh Mekasha (ETH)

2:04:38 (CR) - Tsegaye Kebede leads 1-2-3 Ethiopian sweep in Chicago Marathon and Baysa makes Ethiopian Double in close finish

Tsegaye Kebede won the 35th BOA Chicago Marathon  2012 this morning, the first Ethiopian to do so in Chicago, breaking the course record of 2:05:37 set by Moses Mosop of Kenya last year in a new course record time of 2:04:38 (PB) which ranks 4th in World Leading behind Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya (2:0415 Berlin), Dennis Kimetto of Kenya (2:04:16 Berlin) and Ayele Abshero of Ethiopia (2:04:23 Dubai).
Fellow countrymen Feyisa Lilesa and Tilahun Regassa finished closely behind in second and third in 2:04:52 and 2:05:27 respectively, all under the old course record and  making an Ethiopian clean sweep in men's category.

Atsede Baysa made a double for Ethiopia when she narrowly defeated Rita Jeptoo of Kenya at the tape in 2:22:03 by a one-second margin. Another Kenyan Lucy Kabuu came in third followed by the defending champion  Liliya Shobukhova of Russia who has won the last three titles here in a row including the superb 2:18:20 triumph which made her the second fastest women in marathon all time behind Paula Radcliffe who incidentally still holds the Chicago course record of 2:17:18 in 2002.

There were about 45,000 participants in this event.

Top 3 finishers:
Men
1) 2:04:38 (CR) (PB) - Tsegaye Kebede (ETH)
2) 2:04:52 - Feyisa Lilesa (ETH)
3) 2:05:27 - Tilahun Regassa (ETH)

Women [CR - 2:17:18 Paula Radcliffe (GBR) 2002]
1) 2:22:03 - Atsede Baysa (ETH)
2) 2:22:04 - Rita Jeptoo (KEN)
3) 2:22:41 - Lucy Kabuu (KEN)

 

Half Marathon World record holder Zersenay Tadese wins the World Championships for the 5th time in Kavarna this morning

As anticipated half marathon world record (58:23) holder Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea won the World Half Marathon Championships title for the 5th time in Kavarna, Bulgaria this morning in 1:00:19 under hot and humid conditions.

Results of top 3 finishers in the Men's and Women's Individual and Team categories are :

 Men :
Champions : Zersenay Tadese (ERI) - 1:00:19
2nd : Deressa Chimsa (ETH) - 1:00:51
3rd : John Nzau Mwangangi (KEN) - 1:01:01

++++++++

Meseret Hailu 

Women:
Champions : Meseret Hailu (ETH) - 1:08:55 (PB)
2nd : Feyse Tadese (ETH) - 1:08:56
3rd : Paskalia Chepkorir Kipkoech (KEN) - 1:09:04

+++++

Teams
Men
Champions : Kenya - 3:03:52
2nd : Eritrea - 3:04:41
3rd : Ethiopia - 3:05:43


Women
Champions : Ethiopia - 3:27:52
2nd : Kenya - 3:28:39
3rd : Japan - 3:34:45


Official results from IAAF : http://iaaf.org/Mini/WHM12/Results/Results.aspx

World Record holder Tadese to chase 5th world title at IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Kavarna tomorrow

The 2012  IAAF World Half Marathon Championships, to be held at the Black Sea coast resort town of Kavarna, Bulgaria on 9 October, will see half marathon world record holder Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea seeking his 5th world title after failing to do so in a row when he was narrowly defeated by Wilson Kiprop of Kenya at Nanning 2010 in China.

The annual IAAF World Half Marathon Championships was inaugurated in 1992. In 2006 it was replaced by IAAF World Road Running Championships with a reduced distance of 20km and on the following year of 2007 the distance was brought back to the half marathon distance of 21.0975km. Similarly the original name of World Half Marathon Championships was restored as from 2008.
The Kavarna 2012 will be the 20th edition after Nanning 2010 with a break in 2011.

30-year old Tadese has won four consecutive Championships titles viz :
2006 Debrecen, Hungary 56:01 (20km)
2007 Udine, Italy 58:59 [Championships Record]
2008 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 59:56
2009 Birmingham, England 59:35

However he finished a close second in 1:00:11 behind Wilson Kiprop (KEN) who won in 1:00:07 in 2010 Nanning.

Tadese will face stiff competitions from the Kenyans, who have won the five previous team titles, in Eliud Kipchoge, 27 (PB 59:25), Pius Kirop, 22, (PB 59:25), and Stephen Kibet Kosgei, 25, (PB 58:54)

An attractive prize purse of USD245,000 awaits the Men and Women top finishers in the Individual and Team categories as follows:

 Individual: (USD)
1st - 30,000
2nd - 15,000
3rd - 10,000
4th - 7,000
5th - 5,000
6th - 3,000


Teams : (USD)
1st - 15,000
2nd - 12,000
3rd - 9,000
4th - 7,500
5th - 6,000
6th - 3,000

Apart from the above cash prizes, there is also an incentive World Record bonus offer of USD50,000

Men's Start List - Ref.  IAAF :
http://www.iaaf.org/mm/Document/06/79/10/67910_PDF_English.pdf

Women's Start List - Ref. IAAF :
http://www.iaaf.org/mm/Document/06/79/11/67911_PDF_English.pdf


Statistics of Half Marathon (21.0975km)
World Records :
M - 58:23 - Zersenay Tadese (ERI) Lisbon 2010
W - 1:05:50 - Mary Keitany (KEN) Ras Al Khaimah 2011
World Leadings :
M - 58:47 - Atsedu Tsegay (ETH) Prague 31 Mar 2012
W - 1:06:38 - Florence Jebet Kiplagat (KEN) Ostia 25 Feb 2012

Championships  Records:
M - 58:59 - Zersenay Tadese (ERI)  Udine, Italy 2007
W - 1:06:5 - Lornah Kiplagat (NED) Udine, Italy 2007