The Hindu : Sport / Athletics : Daniel Rono emerges champion

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 16, 2006

Sport

Sport - Athletics

Daniel Rono emerges champion

Nandakumar Marar

MUMBAI: Daniel Rono, running the second marathon of his life after moving away from track events to avoid foot injury, killed competition at an incline on the return leg of the Standard Chartered Mumbai International Marathon 2006, winning in two hours, 12 minutes, three seconds. The 27-year-old Kenyan, testing his endurance against fellow countrymen at the 32-kms mark, stepped up pace after seeing Desse Mandago and Stanley Leleito tiring.

"I was watching my body and remained with the main group. I wanted to see if I could win a marathon on second attempt," said the champion, richer by $ 30,000 and in experience after choosing professional marathon running as a new career option. Mandago (2: 12.18) and Leleito (2:12.47) finished second and third to take home $ 20,000 and $ 12,500 respectively. Julius Suguth of Kenya (the 2005 winner at 2:13.20), withdrew citing hamstring injury.

Low profile beginning

Rono, whose first-ever marathon finish was a 2:12.05 at Madrid last year, maintained low profile behind the leading pack of Africans, Russia's Leonid Svetsov standing out as the odd-man out in this group of runners, striding along the Mumbai seafront. At the halfway mark, Desse Dembelach (Ethiopia) led, followed by Leleito, Mandago and Mark Yatich (Kenya). Leleito surged ahead at the 32kms, followed by Rono and Svetsov. Just three remained at the hill climb, Rono found the energy to increase momentum, Leleito gave up first and focussed on competing the race, while Mandago fell behind at the 41km mark. The three wove their way through amateur runners at the finish, though without breaking stride.

Ethiopian Mulu Seboka, the defending women's champion, extended her supremacy over the event for the second consecutive year, improving upon the 2005 time with a planned run on familiar roads, clocking 2:33.15. She earned $ 20,000.. Sports celebrities taking part in the Dream Run were living legends Milkha Singh and Prakash Padukone, Olympians Vandana Carvalho, M.M. Somaya and Merwyn Fernandes, cricket stalwarts Javagal Srinath and Mohammed Azharuddin.

The results: Men's full marathon (42.195kms): 1. Daniel Rono (Kenya) 2 hrs, 12 min, 03 seconds; 2. Desse Mandago (Ken) 2:12.18; 3. Stanley Leleito (Ken) 2:12.47. Women's full marathon (42.195kms): 1. Mulu Seboka (Ethiopia) 2:33.15; 2. Inga Abitova (Russia) 2:33.55; 3. Leila Aman (Eth) 2:36.17.

Indian performances: Men's full marathon: 1. Nathuram (Army Sports Institute, Pune) 2:24.25; 2. Ajit Singh (Punjab) 2:27.27; Satya Prakash (Indian Army, Jabalpur) 2:33.02. Women's full marathon: 1. Leelamma Alphonso (Western Railways) 3:02.4; 2. Sanjini Devi (Northern Railway) 3:09.00; 3. Indresh Dhiraj (UP) 3:10.06. Men's half marathon (21.097kms): 1. Ram Bahadur Subba (BSF) 1:07.26; 2. Mukesh Kumar Patel (UP1:07.31; 3. Jagannath Lakade (ASI) 1:07.58. Women's half marathon (21.097 kms): Sarabjit Kaur (Punjab Police) 1:21.48; 2. Dipika Biswas (Central Reserve Police Force) 1:23.50; Savita Devi (CRPF) 1:24.25.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport