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Patrick Makau Musyoki of Kenya brought the crowning moment to the 27th Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON with a new course record of 58:56. The 22-year-old improved by eleven seconds the course record of his compatriot Paul Kosgei, set only the previous year, running the fourth fastest half-marathon of all time for good measure. The Australian Benita Johnson won the women’s title in 68:47 with Irina Mikitenko of the German club TV Wattenscheid second in 69:46.
The event organisers SCC-RUNNING recorded a total of 22,048 participants from 70 countries, watched by 150,000 spectators along the route in warm but overall good conditions. A year ago 20,419 took part. The figure consisted of 18,531 runners in the half-marathon, 1,711 inline skaters, 22 handbikers and nine wheelchair competitors. In addition there were 747 runners on the start line for the 3.5 km Vattenfall FUN-RUN, 401 for Nordic Walking over 6.8 km as well as 536 children in the Bambini Run and 91 in the Kids Cup. There were 2,016 runners from abroad taking part.
The men’s race was one of the best in history over 21.095 km. Three runners went under the hour in Berlin. In second place behind Patrick Makau Musyoki was Francis Kibiwott in a personal best of 59:26 while Evans Cheruiyot, also from Kenya, ran 59:48. Three more runners finished under 61 minutes, also achieving world-class times. The lead group went through the first10 km in 27:27, equalling the split when Sammy Wanjiru broke the world record for the distance when running 58:35 in the Hague on March 17. But the winner, Patrick Makau, reflected: „We had the wind at our backs for the first ten kilometres and that helped us but the wind gave us problems after that.“
In her build-up for the Flora London Marathon in three weeks Benita Johnson won in emphatic style. The Australian said this was the ideal preparation for the marathon, though, “It was hard running alone for much of the race and I made sure I drank enough because it was warm. The wind also made things tough. But now I’ve run the Berlin course, I know how fast it is.“ Behind Irina Mikitenko it was a surprise to see another German athlete on the podium: Luminita Zaituc (LG Braunschweig), the winner in 2005 who finished third in 71:56 despite stomach problems. She overtook the defending champion and course record holder Edith Masai of Kenya (67:16 in 2006) shortly before the finish. Masai also suffered a stomach upset and after running the first seven kilometres alongside or just behind Benita Johnson could only finish fourth in 72:03.
For further information, please go to the website: www.berliner-halbmarathon.de.
Patrick Makau Musyoki wins with a new course record the Vattenfall BERLIN HALF Marathon in 58:56 minutes.
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Benita Johnson wins Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON in 68:28 minutes.
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Photos: Matthias Thiel / Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON
Runner's Quotes:
Patrick Makau Musyoki (Kenya), winner of the 27th Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON in 58:56 (course record and personal best)
“I’m happy to have broken the course record and very pleased with how things went for me in Berlin. The course is very good and I’m sure that the world record can be broken here.”
On the conditions:
“The first ten kilometers were run at a pace that were very good for me and the tailwind was also a help, of course, as we went through in 27:27. We were all working for each other. But at the end the wind was sometimes quite strong.”
On plans for the future:
First of all I’m going back to Kenya and will do some track races there and try and qualify (for the Kenyan team) in the 5,000 m at the World Championships in Osaka.”
Francis Kibiwott (Kenya), 2nd in 59:26 (personal best)
“I’m happy with the way the race went. I wanted to run 59 minutes and am delighted with a personal best. Next time I really want to go even better.”
Evans Cheruiyot (Kenya), 3rd in 59:48
“The competition was stronger than a year ago. Next time I want to run faster.”
Benita Johnson, the first Australian winner of the women’s title at the 27th Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON in 68:28
“It was tough all the way. I had to run most of the race on my own though the pacemaker did a good job. Despite that it was a fantastic race on a great course and the spectators were great.”
On the spectators:
“I really felt as if I were back home. There were so many people lining the course and cheering me on. I didn’t think fans were like that apart from back in Australia. They gave me such wonderful encouragement when I was out there on my own.”
Irina Mikitenko (Germany), 2nd in the 27th Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON in 69:46
“I was determined to run under 70 minutes and I achieved that. I’m delighted with second place but I know today that I can improve still further. I ran the whole distance on my own and at times the wind was really strong.”
On her ambitions for a marathon debut in the autumn:
“My focus this year is on my marathon debut, even if I qualify for the 10,000 m in Osaka (at the World championships). Another reason for running the half-marathon was to see what the course for the marathon was like and I have to say it’s very fast.”
Luminita Zaituc (Germany), 3rd in the 27th Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON in 71:56
“I’m very happy with third place. I never expected that. I didn’t feel that great during the race. I felt ill and thought back to the European championships in Gothenburg last year. I started to feel really ill over the last few kilometers and had to stop. But then I saw Edith and my coach shouted that I could catch her. I pulled myself together and did it.”
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