RUNNING GERMANY – BERLIN-MARATHON – Lifetime best for Fitschen in Berlin, Belarus record for Shurhno – European Athletics – (EAA) – News

It was in Gothenburg 2006 that a delighted Jan Fitschen unexpectedly took the European Athletics 10,000m title and he was equally ecstatic after crossing the line in Sunday’s Berlin marathon.

After pulling out of his last effort over the classic distance in Duesseldorf in May with muscular problems, Fitschen came back with a bang to slash 2:30min  from his previous best to cross the finish line by the Brandenburg Gate in 2:13:10.

The pity is that the time could even have been faster as the 35-year-old was obliged to take an unscheduled pit-stop shortly after the half way mark: “It was a small technical defect,” commented Fitschen. “I ate a little bit too much breakfast. Without that stop I would have gone well under 2:13.” In fact, he was detained for 15sec before he got back into his running.

Fitschen’s marathon career started with a cautious 2:20:15 in Duesseldorf in May last year and progressed to 2:15:40 in Frankfurt in October. He returned to Duesseldorf this May but was obliged to drop out. Then followed a two-week layoff before he returned to training. The last two months he was back to normal clocking up over 200km a week: “I am really happy,” enthused Fitschen. “The marathon is always a risk and always up and down. Right now I am right on top of the mountain. This time I felt good at the half way mark and I felt that way almost up to the finish.”

Clearly, the Wattenscheider is getting used to the distance, running an impressive negative split, though his pit-stop may have played a role in that. He reached the first half in 66:59 with his second half coming in at 66:11, giving him an average of 3:09 per kilometre. Fitschen finished 14^th overall and was first European with Spain’s Miguel Gamonal just four seconds in arrears.

Anna Hahner was less lucky with her attempt to reduce her lifetime best, missing it by 23 seconds for a final time of 2:30:37 for eighth overall: “I gave everything,” said the 22 year old. “When you are running the final kilometres towards the Brandenburger Tor you don’t look at your watch anymore.” Though she appeared comfortable, Hahner’s second half marathon was slower than the first half going from 74:28 to 76:10 for the last 21.1km for an average speed of 3:34min per kilometre.

First European home was the Ukraine’s Olena Shurhno, 34, who recorded an excellent 2:23:32 for a lifetime best by more than two minutes and a national record. She crossed the finish line third overall, running an even pace throughout with a negative split: 71:58 and 71:35 for either half.  Russia’s Alevtina Biktamirova was second European in sixth with Hahner two places down on the Russian.

 European Athletics – (EAA) – News