Mongolian Bat-Ochir, North Korean Kim claimed Asian Marathon titles – By Ram. Murali Krishnan

Hong Kong, China – 24 February 2013 – The 14th Asian Marathon championships have been incorporated in this year’s Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon held today.

Mongolian Ser-Od Bat-Ochir was familiar with the HK marathon course.  The 31-year-old runner is already credited with a personal best time of 2:11:05 while finished second in last year at Oita, Japan. 

Moreover he also had a silver medal when the Asian Marathon championships was organised along with the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon earlier in 2008 and went on to win the gold in the Good Luck Beijing marathon organised before the Olympic Games at Chinese capital that year. 

However he was very anxious to add the continental title to his kitty which he eventually accomplished today with a modest time of 2:17:56.  

Kim garnered third-ever title in women’s race

North Korea’s 27-year-old Kim Kum Ok was a strong runner among those who lined-up this morning in the women’s race.  With two back-to-back Asian Marathon titles from 2006 (Beijing) and 2008 (Hong Kong) already on her cap, the current World Military champion received little opposition in Japanese Kumi Ogura.  Although Ogura clocked a creditable PB in 2:35:02 on the South China territory, experience helped Kim to ward off the challenge and went ahead to win in 2:32:21.  

It was indeed a cake-walk for her when compared to the 2008 hard-fought race which she won at the post from country-mate Jong Yong-Ok in an identical 2:36:43.  

This year’s Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon title went to Julius Maisei of Kenya in 2:14:18 while Ethiopian Misiker Demissie successfully defends the women’s crown by clocking 2:30:49.

Ram. Murali Krishnan

Top Results:

MEN

1 Ser-Od Bat-Ochir (Mongolia) 2:17:56

2 Andrey Petrov (Uzbekistan) 2:20:24

3 Kenzo Kawabata (Japan) 2:22:22

 

WOMEN

1 Kim Kum Ok (DPR Korea) 2:32:21

2 Kumi Ogura (Japan) 2:35:02 PB

3 Julia Andreyeva (Kyrghzstan) 2:39:49