Korir leads Kenyan podium sweep in Frankfurt

Mark Korir led another Kenyan podium sweep in the men’s race of the 2016 Mainova Frankfurt Marathon as Ethiopia’s Mamitu Daska took the women’s honours on Sunday.

Korir won the IAAF Gold Label race in 2:07:22 to lead Martin Kosgey (2:07:22) and Paris Marathon champion, Cyprian Kotut (2:07:28) to fill the podium as American runner, Robert Curtis (2:11:20) led the challengers home way behind the leading Kenyans.

The winner broke away from his compatriots around the 37K with Kotut and Kosgey falling behind for the decisive move that clinched him his second major city marathon victory after winning Paris last year in 2:05:49.

The Three Kenyans were firmly into the lead after doing away with the rest of the field as they approached the 35K mark with Kotut leading Korir and Kosgey at that point where they were running a pace that currently pointed to a 2:06:30 finish.

Korir, Kosgey and Kotut of Kapsabet-based 2Running Club passed 35K in 1:45:15 having lost some seconds in the second half of the race having promised to run fast times in the relatively flat course where Wilson Kipsang set the 2:03:42 course record in 2011, missing the then world record of 2:03:38 set by Patrick Makau in Berlin two weeks earlier by four seconds.

Having won Paris last year, Korir went on to compete for his nation at the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China where he finished 22nd in 2:21:20 as intense heat crushed the Kenyan challenge.

Berlin 2009 IAAF World Championships men 10000m bronze medallist, Moses Ndiema Masai ran 2:13:23 for ninth and was the other Kenyan in the top-10.

In the women’s race, there was much to celebrate for host nation Germany when their Ethiopian-born home favourite- Fate Tola- came home in 2:25:42 for second behind the winner Daska who held her off to take the title in 2:25:27.

Kenya’s Sarah Jebet claimed the final podium place in 2:27:07 comfortably clear of experienced American athlete; Lindsay Flanagan who stopped the timer at 2:29:29 for fourth.

She was the only Kenyan in the top-10.

-Story developing

LEADING RESULTS

Men

1. Korir, Mark (KEN) 2:06:48
2. Kosgey, Martin Kiprugut (KEN) 2:07:22
3. Kotut, Cybrian Kimurgor (KEN) 2:07:28
4. Curtis, Robert Mark (KEN) 2:11:20
5. Woldegeberel, Tadesse T (ETH) 2:11:52
6. Achamie, Birhanu Addi (ETH) 2:12:19
7. Gebretsadik, Weldu Ne (NOR) 2:12:20
8. Naert, Koen (BEL) 2:12:27
9. Masai, Moses Ndiema (KEN) 2:13:23
10. Cuneaz, Rene (ITA) 2:15:32

Women

1. Molisa, Mamitu Daska (ETH) 2:25:27
2. Tola, Fate (GER) 2:25:42
3. Jebet, Sarah (KEN) 2:27:07
4. Flanagan, Lindsay Marie (USA) 2:29:28
5. Purdue, Charlotte Lucy (GBR) 2:30:04
6. Strähl, Martina (SUI) 2:30:58
7. Tola, Helen Bekele (ETH) 2:31:27
8. Stockhecke, Mona (GER) 2:31:30
9. Barlow, Tracy (GBR) 2:32:05
10. Vilcinskaite, Milda (LIT) 2:34:48