2009_IAAF_World_Half_Marathon_Championships

2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships

2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships

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The 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships was held in Birmingham, United Kingdom on 11 October 2009. It was the final event of the International Association of Athletics Federations' 2009 World Athletics Series.[1]

Quick Facts Host city, Nations ...

Organisation

The city of Birmingham was selected by the IAAF Council after a presentation by UK Athletics and the Birmingham City Council.[2] It was the third time the championships were held in Great Britain, after the 1992 event on Tyneside and the 2001 edition in Bristol.[3] A number of events were scheduled to coincide with the Championships: a three-day convention for Association of International Marathons and Distance Races, as well as an IAAF press conference to discuss the future and progression of the sport.[4]

In addition to the main World Championship races, the Birmingham Half Marathon started thirty minutes after the women's World Championship race. Organised by Birmingham City Council and sponsored by EDF Energy, it was the second edition of the mass race which attracted over 9000 runners in 2008.[4] A total of 12,068 people signed up to run the Birmingham Half Marathon.[5]

A total of 47 IAAF member federations sent athletes to the championships, the highest number since the 2002 edition.[4]

Course

The men's race and women's race started at BST 9.00 am and 9:30 am, respectively.[6] The course passed through Birmingham city centre and the city's southern suburbs, Centenary Square acting as the start and end point of the race. Highlights along the route included Cannon Hill Park, Cadbury World and the Bournville model village, Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Victoria Square and the Bull Ring.[7] The course is largely straight and flat, although there is an abrupt descent and ascent at the start and finish of the route, and slight rises and falls between the 10 and 16 km marks around Selly Park.[8]

Competition

Pre-race

Zersenay Tadese entered the competition as the favourite, having won the 2007 and 2008 races

Eritrean runner Zersenay Tadese, who had won the last two World Half Marathons as well as the 20 km race in 2006, announced that he would attempt to defend his title and his chances improved after world leader Patrick Makau Musyoki was not listed from the Kenyan squad.[9] The defending women's champion Lornah Kiplagat did not attempt to defend her title due to a knee injury, and three-time champion Paula Radcliffe filled the void, aiming for a record fourth title.[10] However, she too withdrew from the event due to tonsillitis, dealing a blow to the host nation's chances.[11][12]

Tadese was the outright favourite of the men's race, with his greatest challenge coming from Kenyans Sammy Kitwara, Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich and Bernard Kiprop Kipyego, Ethiopians Tilahun Regassa and Dereje Tesfaye. Dathan Ritzenhein, Fabiano Joseph Naasi and Marilson dos Santos were other outside chances. The Kenyan and Eritrean men's teams were favoured for the gold and silver team medals, while the team's from Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda were suggested as possible bronze medallists. Unusually, Qatar (whose team placed third in 2008) did not send any runners to the competition.[13]

In the women's race, Kenyan Mary Jepkosgei Keitany was the favourite in the absence of Kiplagat and Radcliffe. Keitany went into the championships as the world's leading half marathon runner, having run 1:07:00 seconds earlier in the season, and the race was seen as a chance for her to make her mark over the distance. The next fastest runner that season was her compatriot Philes Ongori, although her time of 1:07:50 was some way off Keitany's. Two more possible medallists, Filomena Cheyech and Caroline Cheptanui Kilel rounded out a strong Kenyan squad. The Ethiopian team was missing two of their best runners (Dire Tune and Aselefech Mergia), but Abebu Gelan and Aberu Kebede were still in medal contention. The Japanese athletes, Yukiko Akaba and Yurika Nakamura, looked to maintain Japan's past podium form in the team competition. New Zealand's Kim Smith was regarded as an unknown quantity, as she was moving to the road competitions after much success on the track.[14]

At the pre-race press conference the IAAF General Secretary, Pierre Weiss, lamented the relative lack of interest in the competition, vocalising the IAAF's dissatisfaction with the number of competing athletes and federations. He acknowledged that the competition's prize money was not at parity with other top level marathons. Wilson Kipketer, the 800 metres world record holder, pointed out that the standard of Europe's long-distance runners had been largely surpassed by other region's athletes, most notably by Africa. Kipketer argued that Europeans were not making the most of their sporting facilities and were "not training properly or timing and planning their seasons properly". Ed Warner, chairman of UK Athletics, agreed that a rethink was needed in terms of training and mindset.[15]

Medallists

Detailed reports on the event and an appraisal of the results were given both for the men's race[16][17] and for the women's race.[18][19]

More information Event, Gold ...

Race results

Complete results were published[20] for the men's race,[21][22] for the women's race,[23][24] for men's team,[25][26] and for women's team.[27][28]

Men's

More information Rank, Athlete ...

Women's

More information Rank, Athlete ...

†: Inga Abitova from  Russia was initially 9th (1:09:53), but her competition results were annulled, beginning October 10, 2009, because of breaking anti-doping regulations.[29][30]

Team results

Men's

More information Rank, Country ...

Women's

More information Rank, Country ...

†: The team from Russia was initially ranked 3rd (3:31:23), but fell behind Japan after the disqualification of Inga Abitova.

Participation

The participation of 157 athletes (98 men/59 women) from 39 countries is reported.[20]

References

General
Specific
  1. [1]
    Tadese Set For Birmingham Defence Archived 2011-06-05 at the Wayback Machine. Sporting Life (2009-09-28). Retrieved on 2009-10-07.
  2. [2]
    "World Half Marathon Champs awarded to Birmingham – World Athletics Final to Thessaloniki - Council Meeting Day 2". IAAF. 2 April 2008. Archived from the original on 5 April 2008. Retrieved 3 April 2008.
  3. [3]
    Event History[permanent dead link]. Official 2009 WHM website (2009-07-05). Retrieved on 2009-10-07.
  4. [4]
    47 Member Federations set to compete in Birmingham. IAAF (2009-10-05). Retrieved on 2009-10-07.
  5. [5]
    Tyle, Jane (2009-09-29). Entries for second EDF Birmingham Half Marathon up by third. Birmingham Post. Retrieved on 2009-10-07.
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    $245,000 Prize Money; Course Route and Profile; Team Scoring – World Half Marathon. IAAF (2009-10-07). Retrieved on 2009-10-07.
  7. [7]
    18th IAAF World Half Marathon Championships Proposed Route Archived 2010-01-07 at the Wayback Machine. IAAF (2009-10-07). Retrieved on 2009-10-07.
  8. [8]
    Route Profile[permanent dead link]. Official 2009 WHM website (2009-07-05). Retrieved on 2009-10-07.
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    Turner, Chris (2009-09-28). Three-time reigning champion Tadese set to defend titles in Birmingham – World Half Marathon. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-10-07.
  10. [10]
    Turner, Chris (2009-10-01). In absence of defending champion, history beckons for Radcliffe – World Half Marathon. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-10-07.
  11. [11]
    Radcliffe to miss half marathon. BBC Sport (2009-10-05). Retrieved on 2009-10-07.
  12. [12]
    No World Half Marathon for Radcliffe who is sidelined by tonsillitis. IAAF (2009-10-05). Retrieved on 2009-10-07.
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    Turner, Chris (2009-10-08). Men's Race Preview - World Half Marathon, Birmingham 2009. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-10-08.
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    Turner, Chris (2009-10-09). WOMEN’s RACE PREVIEW - World Half Marathon, Birmingham 2009. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-10-11.
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    Martin, Dave (2009-10-10). IAAF Press Conference – World Half Marathon Championships. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-10-11.
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    Turner, Chris (11 October 2009), Tadese makes it four in a row - MEN's RACE REPORT - World Half Marathon, Birmingham, IAAF, retrieved 11 September 2013
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    Powell, David (11 October 2009), Tadese, a man for all surfaces - World Half Marathon, Birmingham, IAAF, archived from the original on 11 September 2013, retrieved 11 September 2013
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    Turner, Chris (11 October 2009), Frustration turns to delight for Keitany - WOMEN's RACE REPORT - World Half Marathon, Birmingham, IAAF, retrieved 11 September 2013
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    Powell, David (11 October 2009), Marathon beckons for Keitany – World Half Marathon, Birmingham, IAAF, archived from the original on 11 September 2013, retrieved 11 September 2013
  20. [20]
    IAAF WORLD HALF MARATHON CHAMPIONSHIPS - KAVARNA 2012 - FACTS & FIGURES - Incorporating the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships (1992-2005/2008-2010) & the IAAF World Road Running Championships 2006/2007 (PDF), IAAF, retrieved 1 September 2013
  21. [21]
    IAAF/EDF Energy World Half Marathon Championships 2009 - Birmingham - Sunday 11 October 2009 - Half Marathon - MEN - RESULTS (PDF), IAAF, 11 October 2009, retrieved 11 September 2013[permanent dead link]
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    Results - IAAF/EDF Energy World Half Marathon Championships 2009 - Birmingham, GREAT BRITAIN & N.I. 11 OCT 2009 - Half Marathon - men, IAAF, 11 October 2009, retrieved 11 September 2013
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    IAAF/EDF Energy World Half Marathon Championships 2009 - Birmingham - Sunday 11 October 2009 - Half Marathon - WOMEN - RESULTS (PDF), IAAF, 11 October 2009, retrieved 11 September 2013[permanent dead link]
  24. [24]
    Results - IAAF/EDF Energy World Half Marathon Championships 2009 - Birmingham, GREAT BRITAIN & N.I. 11 OCT 2009 - Half Marathon - women, IAAF, 11 October 2009, retrieved 11 September 2013
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    IAAF/EDF Energy World Half Marathon Championships 2009 - Birmingham - Sunday 11 October 2009 - Half Marathon - MEN - Team Standings (PDF), IAAF, 11 October 2009, retrieved 11 September 2013[permanent dead link]
  26. [26]
    Results - IAAF/EDF Energy World Half Marathon Championships 2009 - Birmingham, GREAT BRITAIN & N.I. 11 OCT 2009 - Half Marathon - men - team, IAAF, 11 October 2009, retrieved 11 September 2013
  27. [27]
    IAAF/EDF Energy World Half Marathon Championships 2009 - Birmingham - Sunday 11 October 2009 - Half Marathon - WOMEN - Team Standings (PDF), IAAF, 11 October 2009, retrieved 11 September 2013[permanent dead link]
  28. [28]
    Results - IAAF/EDF Energy World Half Marathon Championships 2009 - Birmingham, GREAT BRITAIN & N.I. 11 OCT 2009 - Half Marathon - women - team, IAAF, 11 October 2009, retrieved 11 September 2013
  29. [29]
    IAAF Athlete Doping List (Updated 4/4/13), eightlane.org, April 4, 2013, archived from the original on July 12, 2018, retrieved September 11, 2013
  30. [30]
    IAAF News - Newsletter - Edition 138 - 18 December 2012 - Athletes sanctioned for a Doping Offence since the last Newsletter - According to information received by the IAAF as of 13 December 2012, IAAF, 18 December 2012, p. 2, retrieved 11 September 2013
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