Athletics Briefs: Defar to debut in Karlsruhe, Njoroge takes 61st Beppu-Oita...and more

KARLSRUHE (GER, Feb 5): Sunday´s IHM Meeting of Karlsruhe confirmed stellar women 3000 m line-up. World record holder and world indoor champion Meseret Defar after winning in Boston will clash with Kenyan Sylvia Kibet and home rival and world medalist Meselech Melkamu. Kibet is also twice World medalist at 5000 m and current meet record holder with 8:41.24 since 2010. Defar who was regular name in Stuttgart in the past will have her debut in Karlsruhe.

LONDON (GBR, Feb 6): Golden Globe and BAFTA Award-winning actor Clive Owen is to host the 2012 Laureus World Sports Awards. Kenyan long distance athlete Vivian Cheruiyot, who won the 5,000 and 10,000 meters at the World Championships in Daegu last year, is a leading contender for the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award, with also Carmelita Jeter shortlisted for the award. For the men’s award Usain Bolt is the only athlete on the list reports Insidethegames.

VADODARA (IND, Feb 5): Ethiopian Andulam Shiferaw won the International Half Marathon here in 1:01:02 ahead of Melkebu Ayele 1:01:02 and Kenyan Silas Muturi 1:01:06. More than 40 000 participants were registered.

VALLADOLID (ESP, Feb 5): Nazareth Weldu of Eritrea won the women 6.75 km at 24th edition of the international CC race here. She clocked 23:49, just one second ahead of the home star Marta Dominguez 23:50. Men´s 10 km winner Jesus Espana 30:20 over Eritrean Isaac Sibathu 30:23.

GRANOLLERS (ESP, Feb 5): Marathon world record holder Patrick Makau was second at the 26th Granollers Half Marathon in 1:02:40 (corrected). In fresh, windy and sunny conditions (6 degrees at the start and the same at finish) Carles Castillejo was better by three seconds in 1:02:37 (corrected). Makau was running without specific training for this race in his build-up for 2012 marathon season. Best woman was Beatrice Chepchumba in 1:12:42 ahead of Italian Antonina Rutto 1:12:43.

OITA (JPN, Feb 5): Kenyan Harun Njoroge won the 61st Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon in lifetime best 2:09:38. Second Serod Batochir improved his own Mongolian record to 2:11:05, third Ethiopian Yakob Jarso debuted with 2:11:13. Best Japanese fourth placer Kohei Matsumura 2:11:17 also in debut. The race was not part of olympic qualifying process.

MARUGAME (JPN, Feb 5): Fast times at Marugame Half marathon in Japan. Kenyan Matthew Kisorio clocked 1:00:02 over his team-mates Daniel Gitau 1:01:01, Jacob Wanjiku 1:01:02 and Benjamin Gandu 1:01:06 (for all lifetime bests). Best Japanese fifth Yusuke Takabayashi another PB 1:01:31 ahead of Arata Fujiwara 1:01:34. As 27th top Japanese marathon runner Yuki Kawauchi clocked personal best 1:02:18. Last year Amsterdam marathon winner Tiki Gelena won the women race in her first sub 1:10, very solid 1:08:48 (32:47 10 km split).



[Copyright © 2012 Alfons Juck/EME News]