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From: B-Haile (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Mon Oct 11 2010 - 15:30:37 EDT
World semi Marathon (Nanning on October 16): A match Kenya-Eritrea-Ethiopia
Saturday, October 16, Nanning, China's growing metropolis in the Guangxi region, will receive the elite runners. The World semi Marathon will be hotly contested, since all the top names of the distance are announced. The match Kenya - Ethiopia-Eritrea promises to be of an exceptional level.
By: FAçAL CHEHAT
11/10/10 17:18 GMT
First important note: only eleven African countries will be represented in faraway China. Gone are the days of all-out participation when federations struggled to make appearance. Thus, countries like Morocco and Algeria, in the ranks since the recent years, have made a finesse, while Tunisia will only send one representative.
Notably those nations with a tradition in this sports. Today, what matters is no longer to participate, but to win or at least have the means to fight for victory and honors. Thus, the bar is now set so high. At the top, there are a handful of Kenyan, Eritrean and Ethiopian runners all worth less than an hour in the 21 kilometers.
We particularly think of Kenyans Sammy Kirop Kitwarra (58 '58''), Moses Cheruiyot MOSOP (59'20'') and Wilson Kiprop (59'39''); the Eritrean, Zersenay Tadesse (58'23'') and the Ethiopian Lesisa Desis (59'59''). Behind this group with outsized potential, there are some thirty runners whose best performance ranged between 1h 1 'and 1h 7'. Only a few will join in the fight that the enemy brothers of East Africa will wage in Nanning.
These will be except last minute problem, Japanese Ahihiko Tsumura (1h 1'58'') and Osamu Ibata (1h 02'08''), American Antonio Vega (1h1'54'') and Andrew Carlsson (1h 2'21'') and even the veteran Namibian Luketz Swartbooi (1h 2'48'').
In the women, Kenyan and Ethiopian women will have the advantage of the time and also the advantage of numbers. They may, if needs be use the collective weapon. For them, the threat will come from Australia's Nicole Chapple (1h 08 '37'') Japan's Hiroko Miyauchi (1h 09'54'') and China's Zhu Xiaolin (1h 10'07'').
African teams engaged: 11
South Africa (10 athletes, 5 men and 5 women), Angola (1 athlete), Botswana (5 men), Congo DR (1 athlete), Comoros (1 athlete), Djibouti (1 athlete), Egypt (1 athlete) , Eritrea (5 athletes), Ethiopia (10 athletes, 5 men and 5 women) Kenya (10 athletes, 5 men and 5 women), Tanzania (5 men), Tunisia (1 woman).
Gentlemen
Favorite
Zersenay Tadese
Eritrea's runner is the author of the best performance of all time over the distance (58'23''). A clock made on March 28, 2010 in Lisbon.
?
The reigning Champions
Individual Race
Zersenay Tadese (Eritrea), 59'35''in Birmingham (United Kingdom) in 2009
Team
Kenya 3h 01 '06''(Bernard Kipyego, Wilson and Wilson Kiprotich Kipsang Kwambai Kibet)
Ladies
The favorite
Florence Kiplagat Jeblet
The native of Kapkitony is one of the few who achieves excellence on road or on track. She has already achieved in 5000m 14'40''14 and 30'11''53 in 10 000 m.
Reigning champion
Individual Race
Mary Keitany (Kenya) 1h 06'36''(world record)
Team race
Kenya 3h 22 '30''(Mary Keitany, Philes Ongori and Caroline Cheptanui Kilel)
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