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Press Conference Highlights

2004-09-26

Felix Limo, winner mens Marathon (2:06:44)

Were you sure to win the race?
"Yes I was sure. I have begun at 30 km to intensify the speed but my back hurt again. Therefore I have reserved somethhing for the last two kilometres only. "

What were the conditions like?
"The conditions were hard. You have to take care in the curves not to step into puddles. But otherwise it was all right. "

Do you come back to Berlin?
"I hope I can come again and I then would like to break the world record. Paul Tergat made it - so I could do it too. "

Joseph Riri, 2nd place Marathon (02:06:49)

Have you ever mentioned to beat Felix Limo?
"No, it was a very difficult and hard race for me. I never thought about to beat him. He has clearly the better time. For me I can say I have given my best and am content. I have improved my personal best of 02:14:18 to 02:06:49. That is great! "

Why were you so much faster?
"I have actually expected this a little. The training in Kenya and Japan was very good. I expected a 02:09:00 but that it will be a 02:06:49 I haven thought. "

Do Japanese women exercise more than Kenyan men?
"Yes definitively. They cooperate in the team and they run much more and fundamentally longer than the Kenyans. In training I run a maximum of 35 k and the Japanese partly run 40k or more. Even when I trained in Japan for 18 months the Japanese were weekly running distances I never run. We are good because of our speed and the Japanese because of their endurance. "

Joshua Chelanga, 3rd place from Kenya (02:07:05)

You had difficulties at the end, why?
"I felt cold a little bit during the race. I have tried to move the legs. The personal best performance was incredibly for me but it could have been better."

Why do the Japanese women run so well?
"The Japanese have the right training philosophy and do the right training."

What do you intend for the future?
"I make competitive sport for 8 years now. First I raced at Cross Country. I have run at the Berlin Marathon now and got the third place. From run to run I improve my time. "

Yoko Shibui, winner of the womens Marathon (02:19:41)

How is your feeling now?
"It does not matter for me if I run a record or not. I was first at the finish line and that is important. I have run a new Japanese record and additionally I beat the course record - this is super. "

Have you paid attention during the running consciously to the time?
"No, I didn care about split times. My coach gave me information about it, but I haven listened to it. When I then saw the Brandenburg gate I remembered that my coach told me I should run under 02:20:00. So I had to hurry up a little bit. "

After you had problems a little in the last year, you are more content this year?
"I haven run a marathon in 2003 because I had a couple of problems. Then I have among other things switched my diet and it has helped me very much. My last marathon wasn to my satisfaction and I have waited for a run like this, which I was able to complete with a good result. The sunglasses helped me as well. Through this I haven seen a lot at the front of me and could completely concentrate on me and the race. Next time I would like to run still better."

What are the next steps?
"After the last marathon I have said I would like to stop, but now I would like to run further. Where I will go I can say.

How do you train?
"We run approximately eight times a week up to 35 k. The other training sessions we are also running a lot and always in a team."

How have you coped with the race?
"The race was good. The first kilometre and up from 30 km I was running fast. My manager gave me the bottle. There was a note on it: "Do not give up" So I couldn give up either and had to give my best."

Hiromi Ominami, 2nd place (02:23:26)

Did you want to run faster than your twin sister Takami (02:23:43)?
"Yes, this was my aim and it went well. She watched everything on Japanese television."

Which was your aim for the real,- BERLIN MARATHON?
"The first half was planned like this. After 35 k I was slowing. Next time I would like to run the second half better. I found the weather very good. Often it is just the same in Japan. The goal to improve my personal best has worked."

What do you intend for the future?
"I started with 5000 m, then I ran the half-marathon and now the marathon. I always have improved. My aim is now to compete at the world championships next year. Otherwise I haven made my planning yet."

Sonja Oberem, 3rd place (02:26:53)

How was the real,- BERLIN-MARATHON for you today?
"The place and the time were good. The weather was absolutely not my favourite. That is why I ran with a long sleeve. The legs simply couldn stay any more because of the rain and the wind they simply got stiff a little. But I felt good and with a little warmer temperature I certainly could have run well."

How is the planning in reference to the marathon now?
"It was definitely my last Marathon! I studied economics and want to take over the family business of my family. This will be 100 years next year and everybody is waiting for me. Maybe I will run the one or other race but no marathon."