Kenya Sweeps International Chiba Ekiden
U.S. men repeat bronze medal performance

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Posted Monday, 27 November, 2006

From Ken Nakamura

CHIBA, Japan - (November 23, 2006) - At the Hanji Aoki Cup International Chiba Ekiden Road Relay, as expected, the Kenya dominated the men's division, while the Kenyan women won the its division.

Although the expectation of another world record for the 6-leg marathon relay was high for the Kenyan men's team, they fell short by 52 seconds. The Japanese men's team finished runner-up for the second straight year. Last year, they set the Asian record, but this year, the Japanese men's team fell short by a minute and three seconds. The men's Team USA repeated their bronze medal performance from the last year, but they too could not improve the U.S. record from 2005. Last year, four teams broke the two hour barrier in the men's race, but this year only Kenya bettered the magical barrier.

How the men's race unfolded:
After covering the first 2K in 2:46 and 2:41, Martin Mathathi increased the pace to 2:33 for the next kilometer and broke away from the pack. While Mathathi was running alone in the front, the chase pack of Japan, Australia, USA and Japanese collegiate team were fighting for the second place. Mathathi covered the 5K in 13:13, while the next fastest runner, Yuichiro Ueno of the Japanese collegiate team was 19 seconds behind.

In the 10K second stage, Gideon Ngatuny increased the Kenyan's lead. He started out very fast covering the first 1K in 2:25, and then kept sub-2:40 pace for the next 1000 meters. He passed the half-way (5K / 3.1 miles) in 13:07 and ran the 10K leg in an incredible 26:51. Last year, Mathathi ran this stage in 27:12. Out of the chase pack, Hideaki Date of Japan surged in the last 2K to move into the second place. After the second stage, 15K into the race, Kenya (40:04) led Japan by a minute and 49 seconds, followed by Japan Collegiate team in another 17 seconds. Last year, when the Kenyan team set the world record, they covered the first 15K in 40:36, so the Kenyans were 32 seconds ahead of the world record pace.

In the 5K third stage, Josephat Ndambiri of Kenya continued to run alone at front as he ran the fastest leg in 13:29. 20K into the race, Kenya (53:33) was two minutes 25 seconds ahead of the second place Japan. The Japan Collegiate team was in third 2 minutes, 52 seconds behind Kenya, followed closely by the USA as Fasil Bizuneh of Bristol, Va. moved his team into medal contention with the second fastest leg (13:50). Nearing half-way, the Kenya was now over one minute ahead of the record pace (54:35 at 20K last year).

However on the next 10K stage, Sammy Korir, the second fastest marathon runner in history, could not deliver what the Kenyan team needed to continue on the record pace. Passing the 5K mid-point in 14:47, Korir took 29:46 for the 10K. The Kenyans, who passed 30K at 1:23:19, were now 48 seconds behind the world record pace. Meanwhile, with the 28:28 10K stage (fastest) by Atsushi Sato, Japan sat only a minute and seven seconds behind Kenya. The USA - with Josh Moen of Rochester Hills, Mich. producing the second fastest leg (29:23) - was now in third, two and a half minutes behind Kenya.

After the 5K fifth stage, the Kenyan team was back in the hunt for the world record. Mekubo Mogusu, who earlier this month ran a brilliant anchor leg for his college team, covered the hilly, penultimate 5K stage in a record 14:01. Patrick Tarpy of Yarmouth, Maine kept the U.S. in third with a solid 14:46, third fastest leg.

At 35K into the race, Kenya (1:37:20) was a mere 13 seconds behind WR pace. In order to set a record, Cyrus Njui had to cover the hilly 7.195K sixth and final stage in 19:46. Unfortunately, Njui took 20:38 for the stage and fell short of the record. The Kenyan men won easily in 1 hour, 57 minutes, 58 seconds; 52 seconds short of the world record. Finishing second in the race (2:00:01) was Japan two minutes and three seconds behind Kenya with Team USA third (2:01:56), which tied the highest U.S. men's finish ever at the event.

Women's race summary:
Ongori Philes of Kenya took the lead immediately after the start and started to break away from the pack around 2K. She covered the 5K first stage in 15:11, nine seconds ahead of Noriko Matsuoka of Japan, who in turn was six seconds ahead of Liliya Shobukhova of Russia.

In the 10K second stage, Evelyne Kimwei extended Kenya's lead as she covered the 10K in 31:20, 42 seconds faster than Mihaela Botezan of Romania. 15K into the race, Kenya (46:31) was a minute and 13 seconds ahead of Russia, who in turn was 14 seconds ahead of Japan.

In the 5K third stage, another Kenyan was the fastest runner in the stage as Selly Chepyego covered the 5K in 15:31. Behind Kenya, Mizuho Nasukawa (15:50) of Japan slowly cut into the Russian's position and at the end of the third stage, she was only two seconds behind Olesya Syreva (16:02) of Russia. 20K into the race, Kenya (1:02:02) led by a minute and 44 seconds over Russia, and Japan a mere 2 seconds behind Russia.

In the 10K fourth stage, 2004 Olympic silver medalist Catherine Ndereba of Kenya continued to extend the lead over the Russian team. She covered the 10K in 32:02, while Lidia Grigoryeva took ten seconds longer for the distance. At this point, Kenya (1:34:05) was a minute and 54 seconds ahead of Russia, who in turn was 11 seconds ahead of Japan.

Time, however, was running out for the Russian team to make up the distance. In the hilly 5K fifth stage, Galina Bogomolova of Russia finally cut into the Kenyans lead, albeit only by six seconds. Bogomolova covered the stage in 16:16, while Jane Wanjiku of Kenya took 16:22.

In the 7.195K sixth and the final stage, runner-up Russia made up further distance, but Kenya won by 1:16. Team USA was 10th (2:23:20) out of 14 teams.

Hanji Aoki Cup Int'l Chiba Ekiden Road Relay
Chiba, JPN, Thursday, November 23, 2006
Weather: Cloudy, temperature 14.6C, humidity 48%, wind from NNE 1.6m/s

MEN
1) KEN, 1:57:58 (Martin Mathathi, Gedion Ngatuny, Josephat Muchiri Ndambiri, Sammy Korir, Mekubo Mogusu and Cyrus Njui)
2) JPN, 2:00:01
3) USA, 2:01:56, tied best men's place ever
4) JPN collegiate team, 2:02:03
5) AUS, 2:03:13
6) RUS, 2:03:58
7) GBR, 204:12
8) SWE, 2:05:52
9) POL, 2:06:26
10) CHN, 2:06:45
11) BEL, 2:07:04
12) Chiba Prefecture, 2:07:06
13) AUT, 2:15:16

Fastest Stages
5K
Martin Mathathi (KEN), 13:13
Ed Moran (USA / VA) 13:34, 5th
10K
Gedion Ngatuny (KEN), 26:51
Andrew Carlson (USA / MN) 29:02, 6th
5K
Josephat Muchiri Ndambiri (KEN), 13:29
Fasil Bizuneh (USA / VA) 13:50, 2nd
10K
Atsushi Sato (JPN), 28:28
Josh Moen (USA / MI) 29:23, 2nd
5K
Mekubo Job Mogusu (KEN), 14:01
Patrick Tarpy (USA / ME) 14:46, 3rd
7.195K
Cyrus Njui (KEN), 20:38
Ryan Sheehan (USA / MI) 21:21, 5th

WOMEN
1) KEN, 2:13:35 (Philes Ongori, Evelyne Kimwei, Selly Chpeyego, Catherine Ndereba, Jane Wanjiku and Lucy Wangui)
2) RUS, 2:14:51
3) JPN, 2:17:00
4) JPN collegiate team, 2:18:44
5) GBR, 2:20:49
6) CHN, 2:22:44
7) BLR, 2:22:51
8) Chiba Prefecture, 2:23:08
9) ROM, 2:23:17
10) USA, 2:23:20
11) AUS, 2:23:34
12) KOR, 2:24:03
13) UKR, 2:27:25
14) POL, 2:33:23

Fastest Stages
5K
Philes Ongori (KEN), 15:11
10K
Evelyne Kimwei (KEN), 31:20
5K
Selly Chepyego Kaptich (KEN), 15:31
10K
Catherine Ndereba (KEN), 32:03
5K
Galina Bogomolova (RUS), 16:16
Stephanie Pezzullo (USA / NC), 16:56, 5th
7.195K
Maria Konovalova (RUS), 22:36

Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director
(805) 696-6232
Ryan@RunningUSA.org | www.RunningUSA.org

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