Tag Archives: Jurrie van der Velden

Athletics

Prisca Jeptoo targets the podium in Germany

The 2012 Olympic games silver medallist, Prisca Jeptoo will lead seven women who have gone under the sub 2:27 at 36th edition of the Haspa Marathon that will be held on Sunday (24) in Hamburg, Germany.

The 37 year-old comes to this race with the fastest time on paper of 2:20.14 that she got at the 2012 London Marathon, where she took the bronze medal, has set her eyes on top honors with the aim of taking the title.

The 2011 World silver medallist will battle for glory with the 2009 World 10,000m silver medallist, Meselech Melkamu from Ethiopia, who is the current course record holder with a time of 2:21.54. The 37 year-old is also the five time World Cross Country Bronze medallist, and she comes to this race carrying a lifetime best of 2:21.01 that she got at the 2012 Frankfurt Marathon, where she took the top honor.

The two will battle for honors with the defending champion, Gadise Mulu who won this race with a personal best of 2:26.20.

Dibabe Kuma is also another title contender who also won this race in 2019, but she also comes with the second fastest on paper of 2:23.24 which is also her lifetime best, that she got at the 2018 Ljubljana Marathon, where she took the bronze medal.

While the elite women often have their individual pacemakers Jurrie van der Velden hopes that a group of athletes will run together for at least the first half of the race. “The pace for this group will likely be between 70:30 and 71:00, “he said.

Germany will be represented by their top athletes, Deborah Schöneborn and Kristina Hendel. Schöneborn, who achieved a strong 18th place in the Olympic marathon, last year, comes to this race with a personal best of 2:26.55. Hendel the Croatian born athlete who has received her German citizenship and hopes to be eligible to compete for Germany at the European Championships. She holds a personal best of 2:27.31

Another title contender is Alice Cherono from Kenya who comes with a personal best of 2:26.51 that she got at the 2019 Barcelona Marathon where she won the bronze medal.

The race surprise inclusion is the World 10k record holder, Yalemzerf Yehualaw who will be making her marathon debut and she is expected to run good time.

“We are happy to be back in the spring with a large race and with a very strong elite field. I am really looking forward to some very good performances. We hope to see a women’s course record on Sunday, “said chief organiser Frank Thaleiser.

LEADING RESULTS

42KM WOMEN

  1. Priscah Jeptoo            (KEN) 2:20.14
  2. Dibabe Kuma              (ETH) 2:23.24
  3. Carla Rocha                (POR) 2:24.47
  4. Tseginesh Mekonnen  (ETH) 2:24.50
  5. Gadise Mulu                (ETH) 2:26.20
  6. Alice Cherono             (KEN) 2:26.51
  7. Deborah Schöneborn  (GER) 2:26.55
  8. Kristina Hendel            (CRO) 2:27.31
  9. Rosa Chacha                 (ECU) 2:28.17
  10. Andreia Hessel             (BRA) 2:34.55
  11. Maria Sagnes Wagan   (NOR) 2:35.34
  12. Camilla Elofsson          (SWE) 2:35.37
  13. Yalemzerf Yehualaw    (ETH) Debut
  14. Alia Mohamed               (UAE) Debut
Athletics

World 10k record holder to make her marathon debut in Germany

World 10k record holder, Yalemzerf Yehualaw will make her marathon debut at the 36th edition of the Haspa Marathon that will be held on Sunday (24) in Hamburg, Germany.

The 22 year-old who smashed the 10k world record early this year with a time of 29:14 in Castellon, brings all the requirements and characteristics for success in the marathon. She also holds the second fastest half marathon and life time best of 1:03.51.

Yehualaw who the race organisers expect to put a good show and great performance with their target being to attack the race course record of 2:21.54 that was set by her fellow compatriot, the 2009 World 10,000m silver medallist , Meselech Melkamu who will also be making her return to the Hamburg city.

“Yalemzerf has trained well and we are looking forward to a promising and interesting marathon debut, “said Jurrie van der Velden, who is the elite coordinator of the Haspa Marathon Hamburg. Unfortunately Yalemzerf Yehualaw’s flight to Hamburg was delayed so that she missed the press conference on Thursday. The Ethiopian could produce one of the fastest debuts ever and break the course record.

The race defending champion Gadise Mulu and the 2019 winner Dibabe Kuma both from Ethiopia will are also on the start list ready to fight for honors.

 

Athletics

Joshua Cheptegei to defend FNB Durban 10k Citysurfrun title

Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei will defend his title at the 2nd edition of the Durban 10K CITYSURFRUN that will be held on Sunday, 14 October in Durban, South Africa.

Cheptegei ran the fastest time ever on South African soil over the 10km in 2017, clocking 27:28 to smash the previous all-comers record of 27:55 that was set by Andrew Limo from Kenya in 2009.  Cheptegei made the decisive break in 2017 just after the 6km mark when he forged ahead of team mate Stephen Kissa and Swiss sensation, Julien Wanders. Only a strong headwind in the second half of the race prevented Cheptegei from coming close to the low end of the 27 minute mark.

Cheptegei got his 2018 campaign off to a flying start by winning both the 5000m and 10 000m titles at the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane in April and was all set to compete at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond Leaque event in Oregon before a knee injury saw him withdraw the rest of the season.

“I picked up a knee injury just before I came to South Africa for the Liquid Telecom Athletix Grand Prix Meeting in March while preparing for the Commonwealth Games. It wasn’t too bad in March and I was supposed to only do the 5000m in Brisbane, but the Uganda Federation asked me to do the 10 000m too. Winning both the 5000m and 10 000m was very important for me as representing my country means a lot to me. But it did mean that I had to sit out the rest of the track season as we did not want to make the injury worse,” said Cheptegei.

“It was a precautionary measure,” confirms Cheptegei’s agent, Jurrie van der Velden of Global Sports Communication. “We have big plans for Joshua, which will culminate in 2020, so we thought it prudent that he heals completely and focusses on the road season towards the end of the year. He is now fully healed and is looking forward to defending his title in Durban on 14 October.”

Cheptegei is keen to defend his title in Durban. “I have been away from racing for far too long and cannot wait to run in Durban. I want to keep my title and believe I can run a really fast time in Durban, now that I know the route. South Africa has been a happy hunting ground for me in my last two visits,” said Cheptegei. The 22-year-old is looking to improve on his 27:28 which is also a lifetime best. “My training has been good. The injury is now healed. I know the route.  I know the conditions and am expecting a good race. My time from last year is in danger as I want to go around 27:20 or better, so over the next six weeks I will be sharpening up for Durban.”

Joshua Cheptegei has one race leading up to the FNB Durban 10K CITYSURFRUN, the Dam tot Damloop  in Zaadam, a 10 miler (16km) race on 23 September. “That will be my final tune up for Durban.  I am excited about the rest of the year and my visit to Durban again.”

Cheptegei won the silver medal at the World Championships in the 10 000m in 2017 before going on to do the track double at the Commonwealth Games.

He also came within three seconds of the 15km World Record (41:13 – Leonard Patrick Komon, 21 November 2010) at the Zevenheuvelenloop in Holland on 19 November 2017. Cheptegei clocked 41:16. Having dealt with his injury, the FNB Durban 10K CITYSURFRUN will be the perfect way to end his 2018 campaign.