With Mengesha and Chepngetich we celebrate the firsts of the course Male record of the route, 5 women under the female record.
In the race Sammy Basso and the Sammy Runners
Castello and Mazzucco the winners of the Avesani Monument Run 10k
VERONA – The day of the CRAFT Giulietta&Romeo Half Marathon began with a beautiful sun that lit up and lit up the smiles of thousands of runners from 62 countries around the world. First departure for the very festive group of Sammy Runners, protagonists of a very special message, that of the love for life of Sammy Basso, suffering from progeria. Special departure also for the group of "Parkinsonauti" of the Parkinson & Sport association led by Stefano Ghidotti.
Before giving life to the soul of the event, a few seconds of silence was observed to draw attention to the populations involved in the tragedy of the recent earthquake in Turkey. Some of the best international middle-distance specialists lined up on the starting line, a parterre wanted by Gaac 2007 Verona Marathon ASD, the event organizer, which with this move wants to position itself among the most famous events also at an international level. Also in the arrivals parterre at the Bentegodi Stadium were the Mayor of Verona Damiano Tommasi, the Councilor for Sport of the Veneto Region Cristiano Corazzari, the President of Coni Veneto Dino Ponchio and Francesco Uguagliati, President of Fidal Veneto.
THE MEN – The leading group was immediately made up of the Ethiopians Mengesha and Bazezew, the New Zealander Robertson, the Italian Aouani and the Kenyans Kurgat, Kiprop and Meli. At the passage of km 10, the Kenyan Meli fell behind leaving the Kenyan Kiprop the possibility to take the lead at the 14th km. The leading group frayed, also losing the blue Iliass Aouani with the Ethiopians Mengesha and Bazezew giving each other a strong hand to stay attached and Robertson in the slipstream until km 18 when Mengesha went on to take the win.
Mikesa Mengesha crosses the finish line first in 1:00'15” (2'51”/km) and lowers by 9” the record of the course of 1:00'24” belonging to the Kenyan Edwin Koech since 2017. The Ethiopian is was closely followed by an extraordinary Jake Robertson who, despite his excellent 1h00'21” did not hit the New Zealand record for a very short time. Third in 1:00'23", just two seconds behind Robertson, the Kenyan Bravin Kiprop, making his debut over the distance. As predicted, the Italian Iliass Aouani (Fiamme Azzurre) was first of the Italians and fifth overall at the finish line in 1:01'49 ", retouching his previous personal best of 1:02'32".
“I'm satisfied, I was aiming for this result and I'm particularly happy given the very cold weather. I'm in full preparation for the marathon that I will run in a month, I think I deserved the passing mark today,” said Iliass Aouani.
“Very nice race, wonderful course but too cold weather, a pity because the hare did a great job and with a few more degrees I could have achieved the goal of lowering the New Zealand record in specialty. The course is definitely suitable for this result, I think I'll be back,” said Jake Robertson.
For the Italian podium, with 1:04'25" the silver goes to the blue cross Stefano Massimi (Atl. Vomano), in the personal best, followed by the Veronese Marco Fontana Granotto (Atl. Insieme Verona) who closes his efforts in 1:05'21”, far from the objective of breaking down the personal best of 1:04'29”.
THE WOMEN – Passage at km 5 at 15'50” for the leading group of women made up of the Kenyans Viola Cheptoo, Joan Kipyatich and Janet Chepngetich and the Ethiopians Alemu Megertu, Molla Moges Mekserem and Zewditu Aderaw Gelaw, led by the hare and well compact up to km 9 when a climb made the difference, leaving Cheptoo and Megertu behind, both fully loaded for preparation for the Boston and London marathons, respectively. The lead of the women's race was consolidated at km 15 with Chepngetich and Meskerem perfectly in step with the hare, the blue Ahmed Ouhda (Asd Imperiali Atletica) who did his job very well. Positions changed at the passage of the 19th km when the Ethiopian Zewditu Gelaw overtook the Alemu with the Chepngetich still in the lead.
Narrow victory and great record of the course for the Kenyan Janet Chepngetich who ends her efforts in 1h06'58" (3'10"/km) well detached from the Ethiopian Zewditu Gelaw Aderaw, second in 1h07'25". Lowest step of the podium for Alemu Megertu in 1h08'26". There are five athletes at the finish line with a time trial that shatters the primacy of the course. First of the Italian Stefania Brazzoli (Podistica Valle Vairata) in 1h18'21" followed by the local athlete Arianna Lutteri (Km Sport) in 1h19'50" and Loretta Bettin in 1h20'14".
“The weather wasn't ideal but I did my personal anyway, so I'm very happy. I think I will come back and I am convinced that I can run even faster,” said winner Janet Chepngetich.
“We are very proud to have been able to welcome large numbers again and to have shown our beautiful city on a beautiful sunny day, even if it was a little cold. Great emotion today thanks to the winner who set a new record for the course, and to a real train of five women who broke the previous record and set the fourth fastest time ever on Italian soil. I thank the over 600 volunteers, the true soul of the race, the local institutions and the partners for collaborating in the realization of this show, now we start working again for the 22nd Verona Marathon on November 19th which this year will also be the venue for the absolute Italian Championship and master Fidal”, said Stefano Stanzial, President of Gaac Verona Marathon ASD.
THE RESULTS OF THE 10k - Departure at 11:00 for the Avesani Monument Run 10 km which greeted over 2 thousand athletes on the start line. Victory for Roberto Castello in 29'25" (La Recastello Radici Group) followed by Agostino Nicosia in 29'40" who preceded the Moroccan Rida El Khalyly (Atl San Bonifacio Valdalpone) by a lash, at the finish line with the same time.
Women's race dominated by Sara Mazzucco (Atl. Dolomiti Belluno) in 33'20" well detached from Martina Rizzoli (US Dolomitica Asd) in 34'21" in turn at the finish line on Arianna Valenti (GS Bondo) in 35'28 ”.
THE BEGINNERS - Departure from 10.00 for the more than 300 m\f rookies who prepared the course for the great half marathon athletes. First of the newcomers To Pietro Felici Fioravanti (Bentegodi Foundation) and Giorgia Farina (Atl. Verona Insieme). Top step of the podium for Beginners B for Nicola Grigoli (Atl. Insieme Verona) and Margherita Germaci (US San Martino B.A.) while Tariq Abderrahman (ASD Atl. Cerea) and Petra Zurischi (US San Martino B.A.) win the category Beginners C.
The event also awarded the podiums of the Referee Run being a stage of the championship of the referees over the distance of 10km.
REGISTRATION – Registration for the 22nd Verona Marathon, 9th Cangrande Half Marathon and Avesani Last 10k is open, CLICK HERE.
Photo by Phototoday