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Tsegaye Kebede Breaks Samuel Wanjiru's Course Record and Gert Thys' Japan Soil Record With 2:06:10 Win in Fukuoka

by Brett Larner
photos courtesy of Jason Lawrence


The lead pack at 18 km.

Beijing Olympics marathon bronze medalist Tsegaye Kebede of Ethiopia followed through on his promise to run a PB by scoring a resounding 2:06:10 victory in the 2008 Fukuoka International Marathon. Beijing gold medalist Samuel Wanjiru was on hand to watch Kebede smash his year-old course record by 29 seconds; South African great Gert Thys' Japanese soil record of 2:06:33 from the 1999 Tokyo International Marathon also went by the wayside. Kebede will next have a chance to take down Wanjiru himself in April's London Marathon.

Team Kanebo's Satoshi Irifune ran his second marathon PB of the year to finish 2nd in 2:09:23 despite fading in the final kilometers, barely holding off an incredible late charge by Team JR East Japan's Arata Fujiwara, who ended up 3rd in 2:09:47. Irifune provisionally qualified for the Japanese national team at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin. Barring a slew of spectacular…
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Wanjiru in the Aftermath

A roundup of some coverage of Samuel Wanjiru since Sunday`s Fukuoka International Marathon.

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Wanjiru Wins Debut Marathon in Fukuoka Course Record

http://www.asahi.com/sports/spo/TKY200712030126.html

translated by Brett Larner

Half marathon world record holder Samuel Wanjiru`s strength is such that there was never any possibility of his finishing second in his debut marathon. Saving his racing until the pacemakers dropped off after 30 km, he had no problem applying a sustained last spurt over the final 1.5 km. Runner-up Deriba Merga was utterly unable to follow. Setting a new course record, Wanjiru stated in Japanese, "I achieved my goal of a 2:06. It was tougher than when I set the half marathon world record but I`ve gained the confidence I needed."

Waniru trained for this marathon for only one and a half months, less than half the time that most runners spend in preparation. Training at what is for Japanese runne…
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