Shobukhova
Vaults into First Place of
World Marathon Majors Series 2009/2010
Kebede
wins menÛªs race and moves into first place tie with Wanjiru
London, April 25, 2010 ÛÒ Liliya
Shobukhova of Russia vaulted into first place of the World Marathon Majors
Series womenÛªs leader board past two-time WMM Series winner and two-time London
Champion Irina Mikitenko of Germany with a nearly wire to wire win at the
Virgin London Marathon on Sunday.
The WMM Series menÛªs and womenÛªs
champions will each collect $500,000.
The menÛªs crown went to Ethiopian
Tsegaye Kebede, 23, who broke from the pack around the 20-mile mark and
narrowly missed posting a course record with a winning time of 2 hours 5
minutes and 19 seconds. Kebede, who was second here last year, pulled even with
Olympic Champion and last yearÛªs London winner Samuel Wanjiru of Kenya at the
top of the WMM leader board with 50 points.
Wanjirui dropped out of the race.
Kenya Emmanuel Mutai was second in
2:06:23 and jumped into a second place tie with Boston champion Deriba Merga of
Ethiopia with 35 points. One of the most consistent top performers on the WMM
series, Jaouad Gharib of Morocco finished third and also moved up the leader
board into fifth place and striking distance of the Series title.
Shobukhova, 32, the 2009 Bank of
America Chicago Champion, dropped her competition in the closing miles to win
in a career best of 2:22:00. She is the first Russian winner in London. Her
compatriot Inga Abitova was second, 19 seconds back, moving into the top 10 of
the WMM Series leader board. Shobukhova has now 60 points. Aselefech of Megia
of Ethiopia was third in 2:22:38.
An injured Mikitenko dropped out of
the race.
After a break through the summer, WMM
Series action will resume and heat up again with the real,- Berlin Marathon on
Sunday, September 26, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on Sunday, October
10 and will conclude with the ING New York City Marathon on Sunday, November
7.
Standings, breaking
news and further information about the World Marathon may be found at www.worldmarathonmajors.com.
At present, the World Marathon Majors
standings are as follows:
Men
1. Samuel Wanjiru
Kenya
50 points
1. Tesgaye
Kebede
Ethiopia
50 points
3. Deriba
Mega
Ethiopia
35 points
3. Emmanuel
Mutai
Kenya
35 points
5. Jaouad
Gharib
Morocco 30 points
Women
1. Liliya
Shobukhova
Russia
60 points
2. Irina Mikitenko
Germany 40 points
3. Salina
Kosegi
Kenya
36 points
4. Teyba
Erkesso
Ethiopia 30
points
5. Deratu
Tulu
Ethiopia
25 points
5. Atsede
Habtamu
Ethiopia
25 points
5. Xue Bai
China
25 points