Event report - Men's Marathon
Luke Kibet became Kenya's second marathon winner in IAAF World Championship history when he emulated Douglas Wakiihuri 20 years ago to take gold here in 2hr 15min 59sec. The fastest man in the world this year, Hassan Mubarak Shami (QAT), held on for silver while Switzerland's Victor Rothlin decided an exciting tussle for bronze.
Considering the 30-degree heat and humidity approaching 70 percent, Kibet's performance was impressive as he scored the biggest winning margin (1min 19sec) in the history of these championships, crossing the finishing line after his 26-mile 385-yard tour of a hot and humid Osaka and then starting his victory lap well before the silver medallist entered the stadium. "I knew I could win at 35km," said Kibet.
The battle for bronze was epic as Rothlin, unheralded Yared Asmerom from Eritrea (PB 2:15:14) and Japanese favourite Tsuyoshi Ogata, the bronze medal-winner last time round in Helsinki, had a ding-dong struggle in the last four kilometres. "I stayed in the pack and tried to run consistently," said Rothlin. "In the last four kilometres it was just a question of strength."
In the World Marathon Cup team race, with three to score on accumulated times, the Japanese were untouchable, finishing in 5th, 6th and 7th, clinching the title for the third time in a row.
At 7am, it was Moroccan Khalid El Boumlili who led the field out of the Nagai Stadium in 28 degrees and 72 per cent humidity. Alongside was Italy's sole representative, Migidio Bourifa with one of the pre-race favourites, Hendrik Ramaala, trotting along ahead of a field that had decided this was neither the time nor the weather for heroics.
The first green 5km timing mat was crossed in a cautious 16:37 and in the sapping humidity, runners were already taking on fluids. Poised on Ramaala's shoulder was Abderrahim Goumri (MAR), runner-up in this year's London race and expected to be one of the front runners. Had the team-race been decided at this point, South Africa would have won with Morocco and Kenya in the minor medals.
After 20min of preamble, El Boumlili surged into a brief lead flanked by team-mates Rachid Kisri and Anderharrime Bouramdane. Shadowing the lead group were Laban Kipkemboi (KEN) and Ethiopia's Ambesse Tolosa, who is renowned for liking the heat and was fancied by the Ethiopian camp for a medal.
Approaching 10km Kenya's William Kiplagat injected some pace and the second 5km was ticked off in a slightly more respectable 16:14 for a total 32:51. Not surprisingly at such a conservative pace, the leading group was large.
Between 12 and 13km, a Kenyan mini-surge made serious inroads into the lead group as Kibet put down an early marker together with his more fancied compatriot Kiplagat, second in Otsu this year. As they approached the first hill in the course, the 5km pace had been upped considerably to 15:48, for 15km in 48.39.
Meanwhile, Japan's No1, Ogata, was detached but looking in control while Toshinari Suwa led the home country charge. Fastest man in the world this year, Shami looked comfortable, biding his time.
Once again the pace slowed as 20km was reached in 64:59(16.20). At the turn point Ramaala was gingerly bringing up the rear of the lead group and looking uncomfortable. Prominent was Alex Malinga (UGA), the man who at the World Championships two years ago improved by six minutes to finish sixth.
The halfway mark was passed in 68:30 as Spain's JosERios went to the front. Though twice winner of the Lake Biwa Marathon, he had dropped out this year, but was still one of Europe's most experienced runners in Japanese conditions.
At 25km Kiplagat and Kibet once more stoked up the fires while European silver Rothlin put in an early appearace trying to close up to the leaders, including Asmeron and Shami, Tanzania's Samson Ramadhani reattaching himself as the pace slowed.
Kibet,, winner in Vienna this year, hit the 30km mat in 1:36:56 and had taken a clear lead from Kiplagat, Ramadhani, Shami and Asmeron. Rothlin was detached In the trailing group, meanwhile Ogata and Satoshi Osaki had taken Japan into a team lead they were to keep to the finish.
As the temperature rose to 30 degrees at 8.30 Shami and Kiplagat seemed laboured in comparison to Kibet's easy lope as he covered the latest 5km stretch in 15:45. At this stage the medals seemed settled.
With 20mins of the race o go Ogata and Osaki suddenly surged from their positions of 8th and 9th and rapidly hauled in Ramadhani. Was this going to be a medal bid? As they passed 35km they had improved to 6th and 7th, but there was a big gap of 30sec to Rothlin. As they gathered momentum, however, the gap shrank alarmingly.
Up front Kibet seemed safe, but Kiplagat and Shami were having a tussle to settle silver that went first one way then the other. Osaki and Ogata continued to make inroads and at the two-hour mark Rothlin and Asmeron were within reach as the gap between the Japanese and the Swiss and Eritrean came down to 10sec. With four kilometres to go they were within reach and working well but Ogata suddenly broke away and, with the stadium in sight, he swept past the Rothlin and Esmerom. A repeat bronze was within touc hing distance.
Kibet continued to increase his lead, hitting 40km in 2:08:46 in cruise control, but Shami was suffering and Kiplagat's legs were starting to buckle. It was then that Ogata, Asmerom and Rothlin became locked in battle, constantly changing positions until the Swiss made the definitive break and settled the argument sweeping last Kiplagat to claim the final medal.
Osaka 2007 News Team/mb |