Men’s race
Women’s race
Men’s wheelchair race
Women’s wheelchair race
The men’s race
Classic thrills to the last stride
Probably the most talented field of marathon runners ever assembled set off on the road to Westminster, and by 5km (14:52) the race was already on schedule for a 2:05 finish despite the wind and rain driving into the runners’ faces.
By 4 miles the group had split in two as Italy’s Stefano Baldini, the reigning Olympic champion, backed off the pace. At 10km, reached in 29:39, Ethiopia’s smiling Haile Gebrselassie was prominent at the front with a trio of Kenyans – Felix Limo, Evans Rutto, and reigning champion Martin Lel – as well as USA’s former world record holder Khalid Khannouchi, taking shelter behind the pacemakers.
The 2:05 pace continued through 15km, 10 miles (47:45), and on to half way, which they passed in 1:03:33. At this stage the leading group numbered 10, including 4 pacemakers, although unknown to the others Gebrselassie was already having problems with tight hamstrings and calves.
As the pacemakers disappeared, 7 contenders were left to battle out the last 7km – Lel, Gebrselassie, Khannouchi, Rutto, Limo, another Kenyan Rodgers Rop, and South Africa’s Hendrick Ramaala, sporting a colourful head cloth. Baldini, Morocco’s Hicham Chatt and his compatriot, the 2 time world marathon champion Jaouad Gharib, closed to within 30 seconds of the leaders before the front group drew away again as Limo and Rop raised the tempo.
The decisive move came at 24 miles when Lel made a surge, followed by Rop, Ramaala and Limo. Khannouchi struggled to stay in contact and Gebrselassie, no longer smiling, dropped out of contention.
Lel led as the leaders emerged from the Blackfriars underpass, but he kept glancing over his shoulder for his friend, Limo, knowing that together they could get away. And so it proved. Shoulder-to-shoulder the pair headed towards Big Ben while behind them Ramaala and Rop were dueling for the remaining medal.
Lel inched in front as Buckingham Palace came into view but, as the pair turned the final bend, it was Limo who jumped to the front and he crossed the line first in 2:06:39, 2 seconds ahead of the 2005 champion who cut 45 seconds from his best.
Ramaala, in 3rd, also ran faster than ever to clock 2:06:55, while Khannouchi finished 4th, Baldini 5th, in a lifetime best of 2:07:22, Rop 6th and Chatt 7th, all under 2:08. Gebrselassie finished a sad 9th in 2:09:05, describing it as his worst performance since 1991. “But if I can’t accept this then I shouldn’t accept my good performances”, he said.
The women’s race
Kastor dominates for US record
The women’s race often provides action from the gun and this was no exception. 3 minutes after Lord Coe had sent the runners on their way a group of 8 slotted in behind the male pacemakers, USA’s Mike McKeeman and Kenya’s Henry Tarus.
Deena Kastor’s race plan was to pass half way in 70 minutes and then push for her first sub-2:20:00 clocking. By the 2nd mile the American, together with the Kenyan pair of Susan Chepkemei and Salina Kosgei, had opened a 14 second gap on the rest.
The leaders filed past 5km in just over 16 minutes with the gap back to the second pack, containing Britain’s Mara Yamauchi, at 22 seconds. This grew to 36 seconds by 10km when some big names in the second group appeared to be struggling.
An 8th mile in 5:12 increased the front group’s advantage to 50 seconds, and another 5:12 for the 12th mile left Kosgei struggling and out of contention. The leading pair passed half way in 1:09:48, exactly on Kastor’s schedule, and at the next drinks station the American began to ease away from Chepkemei.
Kastor’s relentless pace saw her pass 30km in 1:39:08, representing 5km splits of 16:32, 16:37, 16:32, 16:31, 16:24 and 16:32. The next 5km stretch took Kastor 16:35, despite her suffering a tumble at a drink station, and she drove on hard through the rain and towards The Mall.
She crossed the line in 2:19:36 for her second big city win, breaking her own US record. She had run the second half of the race in 69:48 – identical to the first half. “I had the fear of Chicago creeping back as the miles went by”, said Kastor, referring to the 2005 Chicago race when she slowed in the final stages and missed the record. “I felt very good at 20 miles but that monkey can still jump on your back regardless”, she added.
The next 5 runners all set new personal bests, although the closest was nearly 2 minutes adrift of the American. That was Lyudmila Petrova, who broke the Russian record to finish second in 2:21:29, saying afterwards: “I didn’t want to go out faster than 1:12 (for half way), although the goal was to break 2:20. It feels like home here, this is my 5th time in London and finally I have improved the Russian record.”
Chepkemei was rewarded for her front running as she hung on for 3rd in 2:21:46. “I’m pleased to break my personal best, my time will come”, she said. “I felt very good from the beginning until 30km when I couldn’t keep up the pace.”
In 6th place Yamauchi ran 2:25:13 to move up to 2nd on the British all-time list behind Paula Radcliffe and ahead of Veronique Marot and Liz McColgan.
The men’s wheelchair race
Weir wins again
David Weir won the London Wheelchair marathon for a second time, defying the wet conditions and a stinking cold to break the course record in 1:29:48 so becoming the first racer to dip under 1 hour 30 on the difficult London course.
Weir, a world 100m record holder, took the lead early, pulling double champion Saul Mendoza clear of the bunch as former winners Ernst Van Dyk and Denis Lemeunier crashed at a roundabout after 3 miles. Weir tested Mendoza at 7 miles, and by the 15 mile mark was some 5 minutes clear. He crossed the line 2 minutes 14 inside the old course record and 8 minutes ahead of Mendoza.
“I knew my training was going well”, said Weir. “I’ve done more mileage than in previous years and in my new high-tech chair I hoped for a personal best. But to get the course record was beyond my expectations.”
“Today, David was in awesome form”, said Mendoza who had arrived in London only 9 hours before the start time.
The women’s wheelchair race
Four from four for Porcellato
Italian Francesca Porcellato won the women’s race for the 4th year in a row despite suffering a puncture 5 miles from the finish. The expected battle with Shelly Woods didn’t materialise, however, as the young Briton was suffering from a cold and not at her best.
“The weather was not good today but I just love the London course”, said Porcellato. “I am really chuffed to win again, especially as I raced on a flat tyre for the last 7 kilometres.”
