Nairobi Star (Nairobi)
23 March 2011
Kenya’s Nicholas Kamakya was beaten to second place as Ethiopia’s Markos Geneti (2:06:35) and Buzunesh Deba (2:26:34) took home top honours at rainy and wind swept 26th Los Angeles Marathon.
With temperatures in the mid-50s and rain falling, at times in torrential downpours that turned the streets to rivers of water, Geneti navigated the “Stadium to Sea” course in remarkable fashion, winning by nearly three minutes ahead of Kamakya and smashing the event record by 1:49. He is now also equal with countryman (and marathon World record holder) Haile Gebrselassie as number six on the all-time fastest marathon debut list. Only Kenyans Evans Rutto (2:05:50, 2003 Chicago 2003), Patrick Makau (2:06:14, 2009 Rotterdam), and Wilson Chebet (2:06:12, 2010 Amsterdam), Ethiopian Bazu Worku Hayla (2:06:15, Paris 2009) and another Kenyan Gilbert Koech (2:06:18, Amsterdam 2009) are quicker.
Markos Geneti was formerly better known as a track runner. The 2001 world youth 3000m champion and 2002 world junior silver medallist at the same distance, Geneti in the senior ranks took the 2004 world Indoor 3,000m bronze medal.
Kamakya was timed at 2:09:23 with the 2008 Los Angeles champion Laban Moiben finishing third in 2:13:12. Two-time defending champion Wesley Korir finished fourth in 2:13:23.
In the women’s category, Deba’s victory came over debuting American Amy Hastings of the Mammoth Track Club who finished just 29-seconds behind the Bronx-based Ethiopian.
For their victories Geneti and Deba both won US$25,000 (Sh2.1m) cash and a new Honda automobile. Geneti also earned the US$100,000 (Sh8.5m) Challenge bonus, a prize that goes to the first runner of either gender to cross the finish line in Santa Monica.
RESULTS
Men
1. Markos Geneti (Eth) 2:06:35
2. Nicholas Kamakya (Ken) 2:09:26
3. Laban Moiben (Ken) 2:13:12
4. Wesley Korir (Ken) 2:13:23
5. Jason Gutierrez (Col) 2:13:24
Women
1. Buzunesh Deba (Eth) 2:26:34
2. Amy Hastings (USA (2:27:03
3. Mare Dibaba (Eth) 2:30:25
4. Diane Nukuri (Bdi) 2:33:47
5. Iuliia Arkhipova (KGZ) 2:33:55
AllAfrica – All the Time