FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ATHENS MARATHON. THE AUTHENTIC ON SUNDAY
Samuel Kalalei gives himself early Birthday present
while Bedatu Badane takes top women's honours in Athens Marathon
Kenya's Samuel Kalalei and Bedatu Hirpa Badane of Ethiopia wrote their
names in history by becoming winners of the 35th Athens Marathon. In warm
conditions and with the historic course presenting its annual challenge of
rolling hills followed by cruel descent, Kalalei surged away from his
compatriot Milton Rotich with seven kilometres remaining. Kalalei was able
to celebrate his 23rd birthday a day early with victory in 2:12:17; Rotich,
continuing his return to form after lengthy injury, finished second in
2:14:18 and Jonathan Kiptoo completed the all-Kenyan podium with 2:16:08.
The women's race was only decided over the last few metres within the
marble Panathenaic Stadium. Ethiopia's Bedatu Hirpa Badane, a World Youth
champion on the track four years ago, ran a personal best of 2:34:18, just
four seconds ahead of Alice Kibor of Kenya. Last year's winner on her
marathon debut, Nancy Arusei, finished third but the Kenyan had the
consolation of improving her best by over two minutes to 2:34:51.
The Athens Marathon. The Authentic proved more popular than ever with a
record entry of 18,500 eager to experience the original marathon course
from the town of Marathon to the 1896 Olympic Stadium in Athens.
Temperatures rising above 20 degrees Celsius by the 9 a.m. start removed a
possible attack on the men's course record of 2:10:37 from the agenda. The
leading group reached halfway in 65:58, climbing for much of the way, and
by that point were reduced to five. The pace was on course for a finishing
time around 2:12 and gradually whittled down the group till two men were
left in contention, Kalalei and Rotich, along with fellow Kenyan pacemaker
Alfred Cherop. The latter's work was done once he had led the duo through
30km in 1:34:20.
Both Kalalei and Rotich looked relaxed at that point, not showing signs of
strain. But once past 35km, Kalalei surged and his rival had no answer.
"This was no easy race," explained Samuel Kalalei, "When I moved away after
35 kilometres I saw that Rotich couldn't follow me." On this tough course
Kalalei ran his second fastest marathon, only missing his best of 2:11:47
by half a minute which suggests he is capable of much more, given the
challenges that the Athens course poses. It's a view shared by his manager
Marc Corstjens: "I knew he was well prepared. Samuel was third at the
Stockholm Marathon in June and that is also not an easy course. We thought
he would run well here."
A close contest for the women's title throughout the race ended with the
fastest winning time for the race since 2010. Three runners were in
contention at halfway, reached in 1:16:47: Badane, Kibor and last year's
winner Arusei. The latter had done much of lead work by this stage. The
Ethiopian Jemila Wortesa Shure had dropped off the pace and did not finish.
The group remained intact till 40 kilometres as the teenager Bedatu Hirpa
Badane took control.
Four years after she won the 1500m World Youth title in Cali in Colombia,
Bedatu won a marathon title in only her second race at the distance. The
18-year-old achieved a personal best of 2:34:18, taking 29 seconds off her
debut for third place in Barcelona in April. Almost as pleased was the
runner-up from Kenya, Alice Kibor: "I'm happy with second place and enjoyed
the course. The hills aren't as hard as the ones we have in Kenya. I will
come back to Athens and run here again."
Results, Men:
1 Samuel Kalalei KEN 2:12:17
2 Milton Rotich KEN 2:14:18
3 Jonathan Kiptoo KEN 2:16:08
4 John Komen KEN 2:16:26
5 Evans Biwott KEN 2:16:36
6 Abdelkarim Boubker MAR 2:16:55
7 Sufa Chala Damessa ETH 2:19:11
8 Konstantinos Gkelaouzos GRE 2:27:21
Women:
1 Bedatu Hirpa Badane ETH 2:34:18
2 Alice Kibor KEN 2:34:22
3 Nancy Arusei KEN 2:34:51
4 Ourania Rebouli GRE 2:49:06
More information is available at: www.athensauthenticmarathon.org
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