Athletics Africa Magazine

Weekend Athletics Round-up MARRAKECH (MAR, Jan 29): Kenyan Stephen Tum won the 23rd Marrakech Marathon in fast 2:08:51. Second Ethiopian Gezahegn Girma 2:09:29 ahead of another Kenyan Daniel Rono 2:09:50. Home women win for Soumiya Labani in 2:34:56. Solid times also in half marathon when Girma Berhanu achieved 1:01:59 ahead of Rachid Kisri 1:02:17 and best woman Malika Asahsah 1:11:14. In total 7000 participants. NAPOLI (ITA, Jan 29): Napoli Marathon winners were veteran Ornella Ferrara in 2:41:10 and Moroccan Nasef Ahmed 2:18:54. ELDORET (KEN, Jan 29):   Edwin Kipyego won the 21st edition of the Discovery Half Marathon in 1:02:30.   Last year London marathon winner Emmanuel Mutai was 6th in 1:02:55. OSAKA (JPN, Jan 29): In half-marathon wins for Takaki Koda 1:03:54 and Maiko Murayama 1:12:46. ALMERIA (ESP, Jan 29): Moroccan Abdelhadi El Mouaziz won here the 15th half-marathon in 1:03:24. Best woman was from Ukraine Olha Ochal in 1:12:47. BO...

LONDON (GBR): Insidethegames writes that Kenenisa Bekele is so upset about what has happened that he is reportedly considering running for another country. Bekele's manager Jos Hermens, who has also guided the career of Bekele's fellow Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie, his predecessor as Olympic 10,000 metres champion and world record holder, told insidethegames: "I have just spoken to Kenenisa, who is back home, and he is so upset about the whole thing that he is saying 'Let me run for another country'. He says the first time he knew anything about it was when he saw the reports on Ethiopian TV. He said to me 'I have not been shown any respect'. He has told the federation he does not want to train on the Mondo track at the national stadium because it is too hard and it could lead to injury. Kenenisa and Haile were among several athletes who asked the authorities not to lay a hard track there three years ago, but they were ignored. This is ...

ROVERETO (ITA, Jan 15): Ethiopian wins at jubilee 35th Cross della Vallagarina (EA CC Permit). Kinde Atanau was the best in men´s 8.69 km in 25:27 ahead of Haftu Fikadu 25:36 and Mokashaw Kassa 25:43. Multiple European CC gold medalist Sergiy Lebid of Ukraine was the best European in 26:10 as 5th. Best Italian Gabriele De Nard as 8th (26:17). Afera Godfay got another top position when winning the 5.59 km in 19:16 ahead of Gidey Roman 19:19 and third best European home runner Agnes Tschurtschenthaler 19:38. HAMILTON (BER, Jan 13-15): Tesfaye Duba of Ethiopia won the marathon during the Bermuda Race Weekend in 2:24:17, best woman was Russian Elena Orlova in 2:46:34. Dube also won the mile 4:19.0, here the best woman Jamaican Korene Hinds 4:57.0. LE MANS (FRA, Jan 15): The 31st edition of the biggest cross country in France, the Cross Ouest France saw last year world junior champion Caleb Ndiku of Kenya winning the men´s 10.4 km in 29:32. Second Mike Kigen 29:36 and third Samue...

ROTTERDAM (NED):  Organizers of the 32nd ABN AMRO Rotterdam Marathon on April 15 have announced their first three stars of the race. Race director Mario Kadiks is hoping the fast course in Rotterdam could produce a world record and has invited Kenyans Moses Mosop , who debuted in Boston last year in 2:03.06 and later won Chicago in 2:05:37. Other top names are Peter Kirui who debuted last autumn in Frankfurt (2:06:31) with beeing 6th in Daegu 10 000 m earlier. Top debut is expected from fast road runner and World half marathon medalist Sammy Kitwara (road bests 27:11 at 10 km and 58:48 at HM). The course will be remeasured before the race and athletes will start 30min earlier than in previous years. JOHANNESBURG (RSA): South African running legend Hendrick Ramaala has quit the Athletics South Africa (ASA) administration to get his running career back on track. This comes after ASA board appointed former banker Frik Vermaak as new chief executive of the...