Turin Marathon – Pertile surprises in rainy Turin, Jeptoo takes women’s crown

Turin, Italy – Running in wet and slippery conditions, Italy’s Ruggero Pertile won the 24th edition of the Turin Marathon Gran Premio La Stampa on Sunday (14) clocking 2:10:58.

It was the second marathon race in less than four months for Pertile who finished fourth at the European Championships in Barcelona after fighting for the podium until the final kilometres while struggling with cramps.

Thirty-six year-old Pertile, who clocked his PB in the 2009 edition of this IAAF Silver Label Road Race running 2:09:53 (the fastest time for a European runner that year), beat young Kenyan Lawrence Kimaiyo (born in 1990) who ran in the leading four-men group for most of the race but had to settle with second place with 2:11:46. Habteselassie Lemma from Ethiopia took third place in 2:12:20.

Priscah Jeptoo took the win in the women’s race in 2:27:02, the second fastest time ever recorded in Turin after Agnes Kiprop’s 2:26:22 set last year when the Turin Marathon was scheduled in spring.

Men’s Race –

A four-man pack formed by two pacemakers Robert Ndiwa and John Kiprotich, Kimaiyo and Lemma went to the front reaching the 15 km in 45:55 and 1:04:24 at halfway. Pertile chose not to follow the pace set by the leading group opting to keep his own pace and his tactic paid off in the decisive stages of the race. The Italian went through the 21 km mark in 1:04:45 but he was well in control of the race.

Kiprotich led at 30 km passing in 1:32:09 with a gap of 23 seconds over Lemma and Kimayio.  Pertile began to close the gap on chasing duo Lemma and Kimaiyo and managed to catch them after the 35th kilometre. Kiprotich, who started as pacemaker but decided to continue until the end crossing the finish-line in ninth place, was still leading at 37 km but Pertile and Kimaiyo began reducing their gap on Kiprotich who was fading dramatically.  Pertile caught up with Kiprotich overtaking him at 38 km with 1:59:20 on the clock.

Pertile broke away from Kimaiyo building a gap of 22 seconds at 39 km and continued to increase his lead over Kimaiyo. The marathon runner from Padua crossed the finish line in 2:10:58.

“I came here to set my PB but weather conditions were not ideal,” an emotional Pertile said. “It was a difficult race from the beginning because the pace was uneven. I knew Kimaiyo and Lemma were strong athletes but I felt that the race was getting better and better and I could push the pace.

“I have come back from a difficult 2009 year in which I ran 2:09:53 but then I underwent surgery last December. I have to thank my club Assindustria Sport Padova, my wife and my daughter Alice who were here to support me,” Pertile said, adding that the 2012 Olympic Marathon in London is in his plans.

Leading Results:

Men –
1 Ruggero Pertile (Italy) 2:10:58
2 Lawrence Kimaiyo (Kenya) 2:11:46
3 Habteselasie Lemma (Ethiopia) 2:11:21
4 Peter Kurui (Kenya) 2:13:06
5 Danilo Goffi (Italy) 2:14:38
6 John Komen (Kenya) 2:15:20
7 Daniel Limo (Kenya) 2:15:45
8 Negash Abebe (Ethiopia) 2:15:49
9 John Kiprotich (Kenya) 2:15:56
10 Richard Rotich (Kenya) 2:16:15

Women –
1 Priscah Jeptoo (Kenya) 2:27:02
2 Fate Tola (Ethiopia) 2:28:22
3 Florence Chepsot (Kenya) 2:32:39
4 Nina Podnebsnova (Russia) 2:34:03
5 Olesya Nurgalyeva (Russia) 2:34:08
6 Sizmaz Methap (Turkey) 2:35:45
7 Yelena Nurgalyeva (Russia) 2:37:21
8 Daneja Grandovec (Slovenia) 2:46:00