Athletics Briefs: Tum won the 23rd Marrakech Marathon,Moroccan Nasef Ahmed triumphs in Napoli...and more

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.

BORDEAUX (FRA, Jan 28): First top international indoor meet of the season in France saw Lukasz Michalski of Poland winning the pole vault with good 572 ahead of Romain Mesnil 560. Ethiopian Abiyote Abinet clocked world leading 3000 m 7:44.20 ahead of French runners with big improvements Yohan Durand 7:44.46 and Yoann Kowal 7:44.63. Under 7:50 also was Morhad Amdouni 7:47.88 and Moroccan Aziz Lahbabi 7:49.24.

All-time hero Felix Sanchez clocked impressive 49.74 in the rarely contested 400 m hurdles indoors. He missed his all-time world best only by 0.01. Cuban Yasmani Copello clocked in another race 50.32. 


Nigerian Ogho-Oghene Egwero was the best in the 60 m 6.70. Moroccan Malika Akkaoui was solid 800 m women winner 2:01.52 ahead of Russian Yekaterina Kupina 2:01.79. Jamaican Patricia Hall won the 400 m in 52.39. Ukrainian Oksana Okuneva led four jumpers with 190 cm. Ruddy Zang Milama of Gabon was the fastest in the 60 m with 7.27 (and 7.25 in heats).

HOUSTON: At Houston Invitational years fastest 60 m by former world indoor medalist Laverne Jones-Ferrette 7.08 with Murielle Ahoure distant second 7.23. Zambian Gerald Phiri clocked 6.65 to win men´s 60 m.

SEATTLE: World medalist Sally Kipyego achieved 8:47.91 at the 3000 m here at the oversized track(307 m). Second Katie Flood 8:55.31 and third Canadian Malindi Elmore 8:59.95 also sub 9 minutes. Canadian Cameron Levins achieved 7:48.25 in the men´s 3000 m ahead of Briton Chris Thompson 7:49.14. Geena Gall posted 4:34.79 in the mile ahead of Lauren Johnson 4:34.80.

[Copyright © 2012 Alfonz Juck/EME News]