Posted: April 3, 2005

Athletics: Bewag Berlin Half-Marathon Post Race Press Conference

Press conference Highlights 3. April 2005

Paul Kimugul, Winner of the 25. Bewag BERLINER HALBMARATHON from Kenya
"The race went well. We watched each other throughout. I knew that Moses has a strong kick, and that is why Joseph and I held back a little. I improved my personal best by 26 seconds. Well, I thought I could run sub 60:00 minutes. I had trained very well and was in good shape. Why I didn´t break 60 minutes, I don´t know. Sometime in the future I want to run a Marathon, and of course, I want to run a a fast and flat course – that is what you have in Berlin.”

Joseph Ngolepus, 2nd Place from Kenya
"Actually I thought I could win.. I knew, like Paul, that Moses has a very strong kick. That is why we both watched Moses all the time. So the pace didn’t increase and we couldn’t beat this year’s world best time of 60:45minutes. Only after Moses fell back could Paul and I run our best. At the end the wind also a factor as it got stronger.“

Moses Kipkos Kigen, 3rd Place from Kenia
"I don’t know why my kick didn´t work this time. The pace was faster over the last 5 k than I thought it would be. I had to let the others go. I couldn’t stay with them anymore.”

Luminita Zaituc – Winner of the 25. Bewag BERLINER HALBMARATHON
"The competition went to plan. But my preparation was not as I hoped it would be. After coming back from Spain it flet much too cold in Germany. My plan was to run conservatively and not attack too soon. The race was really good. If Joyce Chepchumba had been here, the race would have been faster and maybe I would have come away with an even better time.. But you never know. For me it was important to win. I ran really badly last week in Paderborn, so I was a little bit disappointed. It was my first time, racing in Berlin, the course is a good one also and fast. I hope I can come back to Berlin and then to see more of the Berlin, that´s what I would like.”

Eun Joeng Lee, 2nd Place from South Korea
"The race was went well. I thought until 18 k that I could beat Luminita. But then at 18 k my pace slowed and I had to let her go. But at least I set the new South Korean record. I already have the qualification in the marathon for the World Championships in Helsinki, but my Federation has yet to decide whether they will send a team to Helsinki.”

Beatrice Omwanza, 3nd Place Kenya
"I was in the lead group until 19 k. Then I couldn’t keep up with the others. All the same, I was very satisfied that I could stay with them until 19 k.”

The race website is at: www.berliner-halbmarathon.de.