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Chapple, Weidlinger win in Melbourne

Published by
jmcd77   Nov 29th 2009, 5:12am
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Wanjiru keen to return to Melbourne

November 29, 2009 - 4:24PM

A rare bad race has left Kenyan star Samuel Wanjiru keen to set a world record in Melbourne and with much more respect for Australian running.

Wanjiru finished fourth in Sunday's Great Australian Run after he arrived in Melbourne late on Friday night.

His trip from Kenya was delayed because his daughter had been ill and Wanjiru, the Beijing Olympics marathon champion, admitted he was tired during the 15km street race.

Birmingham won the national road racing championship by finishing second to Austrian Guenther Weidlinger, while fellow Australian Martin Dent was third.

Australian Nikki Chapple took out the women's national title and continued her steady improvement by winning the women's race ahead of compatriot Benita Willis.

"The problem was ... because I came from Kenya, I was still tired," Wanjiru said.

"Sometimes it's not only (winning) - sometimes you can't win.

"But today I was really happy, I was thinking about Australia, there are no strong guys.



Read the full article at: news.smh.com.au

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1 comment(s)
ross

Here is a news video about it.



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Here is RRW post on it.


WEIDLINGER & CHAPPLE WIN GREAT AUSTRALIAN RUNBy David Monti© 2009 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved - used with permissionGuenther
Weidlinger and Nikki Chapple won the second annual Great Australian Run
15-K in Melbourne today in what organizers described as "miserable"
weather conditions.Weidlinger, who already owns over half a
dozen Austrian national records, upset Olympic Marathon champion and
half-marathon world record holder, Samuel Wanjiru of Kenya. 
Weidlinger's time of 43:01 handily surpassed his own national record
set at the same event last year."It's probably one of my
biggest victories because I have beaten two Olympic champions,"
Weidlinger said, referring to both Wanjiru and Italian Stefano Baldini
who also ran the race.  The versatile Australian Collis
Birmingham finished a strong second (43:19), while his countryman
Martin Dent was third (44:00).  Wanjiru, who arrived late to Australia
and felt jet-lagged, finished fourth; Baldini finished 11th."Today was not my day," Wanjiru said.Chapple,
who one week ago ran a quick 15:27 for her 5 km leg at the Chiba
Ekiden, dominated the women's race in 50:18, nearly a minute up on
Benita Willis (51:15).  British steeplechaser Helen Clitheroe finished
third in 51:17."I didn't expect to win today so I am very
happy," Chapple told race organizers.  "I felt like it was quite an
easy run so I don't know if I would call it my best run.  I like to
feel like I have worked really hard."About 3000 runners took part in the race.ENDS


 

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