Kiyeng narrowly misses course record in Seoul

Seoul, Korea – Kenyan David Kiyeng and Eun Jung Kim of Korea claimed victories at the JoongAng Seoul Marathon on Sunday. Kiyeng won the men’s race in 2:08:15 while Kim clocked 2:44:25.

Despite the strong men’s elite field of 14 runners at this IAAF Bronze Label Road Race, Kiyeng missed Kenyan Jason Mbote’s course record of 2:08:13 set in 2006 by just two seconds.

Men’s race –

A large pack of 21, led by a quartet of Kenyan pacemakers, took off from the gun. Among the pack were the 33-year-old course record holder Mbote; Kiyeng, who boasts a 2:06:26 career best from the Paris Marathon 2009; Kenyan Charles Munyeki, 24, who was fourth in Chicago last year in 2:07:06); 22-year-old Nicholas Kipruto Koech, who clocked a 2:07:23 in Prague earlier this year; Ethiopian Teferi Wodajo, another sub-2:08 man; and Morocco’s Mohamed El Hachimi.

After climbing a small hill in the fourth kilometre the pack reached the first 5-km checkpoint in 15:10. By 10-Km (30:14) the pack thinned to 17 and remained at the helm through 15 kilometres, reached in 45:36.

The hilly course on the way to the 20-Km (1:01:04) mark reduced the pack to 14 runners with Munyeki, Wodajo, and Korean Hyo-Soo Kim left behind. The hills continued for the next five kilometres dropping three more. By 30-Km (1:31:50) seven remained in contention.

Leading results:
MEN –
1. David Kemboi Kiyeng, KEN  2:08:15 
2. Mohamed El Hachimi, MAR 2:08:17
3. Wegayehu Girma Tefera, ETH 2:08:25
4. Stephen Mokoka, RSA  2:08:33
5. Jason Mbote, KEN  2:09:04
6. Jun-Hueon Hwang, KOR  2:10:43
7. Yusuf Songoka, KEN  2:10:56
8. Jin-Hung Jeong, KOR  2:10:59
9. Abera Ali Dereje, ETH  2:12:34
10. Abebe Negewo, ETH  2:14:09
11. Teferi Wadajo, ETH  2:15:54
12. Charles Munyeki,  ETH  2:17:10
13. Hyo Su Kim, KOR   2:18:35
14. Jun Suk Hwang, KOR  2:19:50
15. Norman Dlomo, RSA  2:19:58

WOMEN –
1. Eun Jung Kim, KOR   2:44:25
2. Na-Ri Jin, KOR    2:46:31