Aish y Zakiros vencen en el maratón Rock 'n' Roll de Arizona

Transcribimos artículo de la IAAF (en inglés):


Michael Aish en camino a su victoria en Tempe, Arizona (foto: Brian J. Myers)

Tempe, Arizona, USA - Move over Peter Snell, John Walker, Rod Dixon and Murray Halberg. There's a new long-distance running star on the horizon representing New Zealand.

Michael Aish gave the country a big jolt Sunday, winning the P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon.

"I hope they'll be impressed," Aish, 31, said, after his first marathon victory, accomplished in 2 hours, 13 minutes, 20 seconds. He was referring to the four legendary greats of the past, who had established New Zealand as one of the world's elite among the long-distance community before its recent decline.

Of course, Aish's time was not impressive, but he was unconcerned.

"The time wasn't a concern," he said. "My coach (Nick Bideau of Australia) told me to go out as slow as you can, then in the second half try and smash them."

That's exactly what Aish did. Following a slow early pace, despite a perfect day for running, Aish found himself in a two-man battle with Ethiopia's Dejene Yirdawe at the 22-mile mark. The two ran nearly together for the next 2 1-2 miles, with Aish mostly tucking in just behind Yirdawe, before making his big move.

When Aish went, Yirdawe didn't, and he wound up finishing 50 seconds behind the winner.

"This is the highlight of my career," Aish, who won 12 NCAA Division II titles _ at 5,000 and 10,000 meters and in cross country _ at Western State in Colorado, said.


Adanech Zekiros (ETH) in Tempe (Brian J. Myers)

While Aish was celebrating his inaugural triumph and ending the African monopoly on the event, Ethiopian Adanech Zekiros was cruising to her second straight victory in the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon. Not only did she win, she set the course record of 2:13:14 _ 19 seconds faster than the previous mark of 2:31:33, by countrywoman Shitaye Gemechu in 2004, the race's debut.

Ethiopians had won the past three races, and Kenyan Haron Toroitich holds the course mark of 2:10:33, also set in 2004. Meanwhile, Ethiopian women have won all five of their races.

Yirdawe was timed in 2:14:10, and was followed by Halefom Adebe of Ethiopia (2:14:30), Pavel Andreev of Russia (2:15:07), Kenyan-born Lamech Mokono of Phoenix (2:15:29) and 2006 champion Shimelis Mola of Ethiopia (2:17:44).

Lawrence Kiplimo Sania, who fled Kenya in the midst of its civil unrest and came into the race with the fastest time (2:09:52), was among the early pacesetters. He dropped back just after 19 miles and was not a contender the rest of the way. Sania said he had not trained well for more than a week because of the violent conditions in his country.

Salomie Getnet of Ethiopia repeated her second-place finish of last year in 2:34:01, and Asnakech Mengistru completed a 1-2-3 Ethiopian sweep, placing third in 2:36:18.

Aish and Zekiros each received $20,000.

Bert Rosenthal for the IAAF

Leading Results:

MEN -
1. Michael Aish, New Zealand, 2:13:20
2. Dejene Yirdawe, Ethiopia, 2:14:20
3. Halefom Adebe, Ethiopia, 2:14:30
4. Pavel Andreev, Russia, 2:15:07
5. Lamech Mokono, United States, 2:15:29

WOMEN -
1. Adanech Zekiros, Ethiopia, 2:31:14
2. Salomie Getnet, Ethiopia, 2:34:01
3. Asnakech Mengistru, Ethiopia, 2:36:18
4. Linda Somers Smith, United States, 2:41:04
5. Irina Pudovkina, Romania, 2:42:26