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Bogomolova conquers Rome in 2:22:53, Kiptoo takes men’s title
16.03.2008
Rome, Italy - Galina Bogomolova notched up an impressive win in the 14th edition of the Rome Marathon, an IAAF Silver Label Road Race, setting a new Italian all-comers’ record with 2:22:53 which improved the previous all-time best on Italian soil run by Kenyan Margaret Okayo (2:24:59) in 2002 in Milan.
Bogomolova, who ran a lifetime best of 2:20:47 in Chicago in 2006, set the third best time in the world in 2008 behind Yingying Zhang from China (2:22:38 in Xiamen) and Berhane Adere from Ethiopia (2:22:42 in Dubai).
Jonathan Kiptoo Yego from Kenya took the honours in the men’s race smashing his PB from 2:12:16 to 2:09:58, holding off compatriots Philip Sanga Kimutai (2:10:02) and Henry Kimeli Kapkyai (2:10:16) in a hard-fought race. All set new personal bests.
Stiff pace by Bogomolova from the outset
Bogomolova set a fierce pace from the early stages of the race breaking away from the rest of the field after just 5 km. The Russian marathon star passed the first 15 km in 50:43 setting a 2:22 pace. The chasing group formed by compatriot Larisa Zousko, Kenyan Flora Kandie, Hellen Cherono, Ethiopians Baysa Atsede and Haile Lema Kebubush, and Hungary’s Aniko Kalovics followed 1:23 behind Bogomolova.
Italian top runners Vincenza Sicari and Ornella Ferrara, who were pursuing a 2:30 time to book a berth on the Italian Olympic team for Bejing, were not in the top-six at 21 km and were later forced to drop out of the race.
Bogomolova’s pace at the halfway mark (1:11:20) was faster than the time planned on the eve of the race. Zousko and Kalovics (1:13:17) were nearly two minutes behind Bogomolova at this stage of the race.
Bogomolova pushed hard in the second half of the race (1.24:40 at 25 km and 1:41:40 at 30 km) opening up a huge gap over the chasing duo formed by Zousko and Kalovics.
Bogomolova’s consistent pace enabled her to increase her gap to five minutes over 40 km (2:15:38).
She crossed the finish line in 2:22:53 in the worldwide famous Fori Imperiali in the heart of the Eternal City.
“I started conservately in the first part of the race. When I realized that I could really dip under 2:23 I pushed hard in the last kilometres,” Bogomolova said.
“When I watched the video of Abebe Bikila’s win at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, I was fascinated by the course. I am proud to win the Rome Marathon.”
Asked if she will run the 10,000 metres or the Marathon at the Olympic Games she said: “I am still undecided about the plans for the summer season. I am planning to run the 10,000 metres on the track at the National Championships in July.”
With her win in Rome Bogomolova earned 66,000 euros (16,000 for the win and 50,000 as bonus for the Italian all-comers record). Bogomolova is married and has a six-year-old child named Nikita. She trains in Klisdovodsk in the Ural Nountains.
Zousko finished second in 2:28:18 in her second appearance in Rome (she ran 2:26:26 in her previous appearance in the eternal city). “Two years ago it was easier because I was two years younger. I am happy with my second place but I am disappointed with the final time,” admitted the 39-year-old Zousko.
Kalovics also dipped under the 2:30 barrier in third place in 2:29:04.
Men’s race – Patience pays for Yego Kiptoo
While the women’s race was dominated by athletes from Eastern Europe, the men’s race was an African affair which was decided in the final stages in the hardest section of the course when top runners had to battle against a strong wind.
Five Kenyan pacemakers John Kiprotich, Elias Kemboi Chelimo, Noah Kosgei Kimely, David Mandango Kipkorir (former winner of the Rome Marathon) and Benson Barus were in charge of pacemaking task in the first part of the race. They passed 5 km in 15:08, 10 km in 30:13 and 15 km in 45:25.
Pacemakers managed to keep a sub-2:09 pace when they went through the halfway mark in 1:04:13. Mandango Kipkorir led the first group at 25 km in Viale del Foro Italico (1:15:51) closely followed by Kiprotich and Nigusse Dersu from Ethiopia.
Mandango and Barus clocked 1:32:02 at 30 km followed nine seconds behind by the chasing group formed by Ethiopian Dejene Berhanu and Kenyans Henry Kapkyai Kimeli, Philip Sanga Kimutai, Philip Kanda, Jonathan Kosgei and Jonathan Yego Kiptoo.
Italian top runner Ottaviano Andriani’s hopes to run an Olympic qualifying time of 2:10:30 were dashed at 32 km when he was forced to drop out due to a groin injury problem.
Kapkyai took the initiative going in the lead for 7 km going through 35 km in 1:47:38 building a gap of ten seconds over Sanga and Birhanu.
Conditions were made harder due to a strong wind in the final uphill section of the course. Yego, who ran a previous PB of 2:12:16 in Brussels, and Sanga caught up with fading Kapkyai at 37 km.
Over an uphill section of the course Yego pushed hard breaking away from Sanga who did not give up. Kapkyai’s breakaway attempt at 35 km took its toll in the final kilometres.
Yego continued to push hard until the end to take the win in 2:09:58 ahead of Sanga (2:10:02) and Kapkyai (2:10:16).
With his first major win in the Italian capital Yego earned 16000 euros. “Today I ran a good race. It was windy but it did not create problems. I will use the money won today to help my family and youngsters who want to pursue a running career in my town”, said Yego.
Yego, who hails from a large family with ten brothers belonging to the Kalenjin tribe, is trained by Italian coach Gabriele Nicola.
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF
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