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IAAF org: Baranovski surprises with 2:08 win in Fukuoka
Fukuoka, which will be the host city of the 2006 World Cross Country Championships.
2005-12-04
Fukuoka, Japan - Dmitri Baranovski of Ukraine was the surprise winner at the 59th annual Fukuoka International marathon on Sunday afternoon in Fukuoka, which will be the host city of the 2006 World Cross Country Championships.
Huge personal best
Baranovski’s winning time, 2:08:29, a national record, was very respectable considering the cold rain and strong winds, weather conditions which are not conductive to a fast marathon. Baranovski became the 13th fastest runner in the history of the Fukuoka Marathon and also improved his marathon personal best, which stood at 2:11:57 before the race, by nearly three and a half minutes.
Baranovski, the 2001 European under-23 champion at 10,000m, made a strong surge at 32Km, after the pace makers finished their duties, to run away from the lead pack that included Julio Rey of Spain, Atsushi Fujita of Japan and Dejene Berhanu of Ethiopia, winning by more than a minute.
Fought hard for the runner-up position
Rey, the fastest runner of the season in the field, and Fujita, the course record holder at 2:06:51, fought hard for the runner-up position, but Rey was able to open a gap on Fujita just before entering the Heiwadai stadium and held on to finish second in 2:09:41. Fujita, making a great comeback from the persistent injury problems, finished third, seven seconds behind Rey.
How the race unfolded…
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