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Fukui Runs PB in European Marathon Debut at Muenster Marathon

text and photos by Brett Larner

Makoto Fukui (Team Fujitsu) and Ryosuke Fukuyama (Team Honda) in the early going at the 2012 Muenster Marathon

Unseasonably hot temperatures kept the field at the 2012 Muenster Marathon from approaching the course record of 2:10:25, but despite the heat the front end of the men's race was the deepest and most international in the race's 11-year history. The two men with 2:10 bests went 1-2 as Moroccan Ahmed Nasef took the win by five seconds over Kenyan Paul Kimaiyo Kimugul, 2:12:21 to 2:12:26 after breaking away near 35 km.  Kimugul challenged Nasef's win, saying that Nasef had received unfair aid from a cyclist giving him water in the final 7 km, but the protest was dismissed after judges investigated the claims and could find no supporting evidence or witnesses.

                                     The Muenster Marathon finish

Defending champion Elijah Kimaiyo Kimugul ran only one second slower than his winning time last year but was nearly a minute back in 2:13:11.  Martin Kiprugut (Kenya) and Makoto Fukui (Team Fujitsu) closed hard after falling off the pace after 30 km, both running 2:13 PBs to take 4th and 5th.  Ryosuke Fukuyama (Team Honda) rounded out the top six, running a disappointing 2:15:48 after colliding with a Kenyan competitor at the 15 km drink station and injuring his back.  Both Fukui and Fukuyama made their European debuts in Muenster with support from JRN.

The women's race started slow on the twisting cobblestoned streets of the race's initial 10 km, running just over 19 minutes for the first 5 km split.  Kenyans Joan Rotich and Caroline Kwambai worked together to break Ethiopian pair Abiyot Eshetu Deme and Desso Dunkane Kebo, the Kenyans going a close 1-2 in 2:38:12 and 2:38:26, three minutes ahead of Deme in 3rd.

2012 Volksbank Muenster Marathon
Muenster, Germany, 9/9/12
click here for complete results

Men
1. Ahmed Nasef (Morocco) - 2:12:21
2. Paul Kimaiyo Kimugul (Kenya) - 2:12:26
3. Elijah Kipkemoi Yator (Kenya) - 2:13:11
4. Martin Kiprugut (Kenya) - 2:13:35 - PB
5. Makoto Fukui (Team Fujitsu) - 2:13:57 - PB
6. Ryosuke Fukuyama (Team Honda) - 2:15:48
7. Pharis Kimani (Kenya) - 2:17:21
8. Hailemariam Atsebha Kahsay (Ethiopia) - 2:17:51

Women
1. Joan Rotich (Kenya) - 2:38:12
2. Caroline Kwambai (Kenya) - 2:38:26
3. Abiyot Eshetu Deme (Ethiopia) - 2:41:26
4. Desso Dunkane Kebo (Ethiopia) - 2:43:56
5. Lilian Koech (Kenya) - 2:47:31

(c) 2012 Brett Larner
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