• Partner

  • 

• presented by

  • 

News

Mizuki Noguchi in promising shape for Berlin

2006-07-10

Mizuki Noguchi at the last year's edition of the real,- BERLIN MARATHON.
© Victah Sailer

Marathon Olympic Champion Mizuki Noguchi presented herself in top shape on Sunday.  The 27 year-old Japanese, who is preparing for the real,- BERLIN MARATHON on September 24^th as the defending champion, won the Sapporo Half Marathon despite windy weather conditions in a new course record of 68:14 minutes. She bettered the old record set by Olympic marathon runner-up Catherine Ndereba by nine seconds. The Kenyan, who had won the race last year ahead of Noguchi, was running as well in the strong haf marathon event. But it wasn’t a good race for Ndereba. She was only eighth in 71:50 minutes.  

 
Mizuki Noguchi set the pace of the race right from the start. Only momentaryly the later runner-up Hiromi Ominami (Japan/1:09:19) led the group. But when Noguchi, the Asian marathon record holder (2:19:12 hours in Berlin 2005), got away from the group at 14 k Ominami had no chance. „As she increased the pace she didn’t even breathe hard,“ said Ominami when asked by a journalist of the web page  www.iaaf.org. Ongori Philes (Kenya) came in third in 1:10:00.

"I want to improve my personal best at the Berlin Marathon"

„It was windy and therefore I didn’t expect to better the course record. But I felt very good and that’s why I was running fast. I want to improve my personal best at the Berlin Marathon,“ said Mizuki Noguchi to www.iaaf.org. The Japanese will now prepare for the real,- Berlin Marathon in St. Moritz (Switzerland) as in the year before.  

In the men’s race the Kenyan Cyrus Njui won in 61:16 minutes ahead of the Ethiopian Girma Assefa (61:21) and Tesfaye Girma (61:24).

 
Gete Wami wins Utica Boilermaker

At the Utica Boilermaker there was a Kenyan triple triumph. Sammy Rongo won the traditional 15 k race, which was held in Utica (New York State) for the 29th time, in 43:16 minutes ahead of countrymen Wilson Kiprotich (43:30) and William Chebor (43:39). In the women’s race another runner of the upcoming real,- Berlin Marathon on September 24^th showed good shape: Gete Wami (Ethiopia). The 10,000 m World Champion of 1999 and Olympic 2000 runner-up clocked 49:31 minutes. In a duel of two world class marathoners she prevailed against Susan Chepkemei. The Kenyan finished two seconds later. Third was Jemima Jelegat (Kenya/49:39).