XXV EDITION OF THE FLORENCE MARATHON, ITALIAN VOLPATO SMILES: “I’M BACK, WHAT REALLY MATTERED TODAY WAS WINNING. BOURIFA: “I GAVE ALL I HAD”

The record Florence Marathon gives backs Giovanna Volpato to Italian athletics. 33 year old athlete of Assindustria Padova, wins and conquers thanks to her fighting spirit on a cold and rainy day.

“Today, chronometer was the minor problem – states the runner from Mestre -, I had to give a strong signal after my accident and a wonderful success has arrived. I completed the marathon in 2h34’14” and have no grounds for complaint after one year stop from marathons to recover from my accident at the Achilles tendon at Osaka World Championships in 2007 and following surgery.

The weather was not on our side, rain and cold at the start, as well as during most of the race: I started and ended my marathon completely frozen. This made the run harder and that’s why I am particularly satisfied. I was calm up to 23rd kilometre, then I tried to change my rhythm and after kilometre 30 I saw my opponents outdistancing. This was the crucial moment, I feared about a possible crisis during finish, but on the contrary all went well. Thank you Florence!”.
Satisfaction also for 22 year old Kenyan Jakson Kirwa Kiprono, achieving an important success at his debut in the marathon.

“Everything went well – he admits – apart from the weather. Rain and cold did not enable us to run at best and also the ‘hares’ did not help us at certain times. I could not hope for a better debut: Florence is a marvellous city and its public was very warm. I dedicate this victory to my wife and to my son”.
A few regrets, instead, for Migidio Bourifa, Italian athlete of Atletica Val Brembana, who despite his 39 years proved he still has character and strength to challenge Kenyan runners even during a difficult day.
“I immediately understood  – explains Bourifa – that it was not the right day to achieve an exceptional personal time and for this reason I tried to study my opponents a little, in order to be able to do my best.

Hares ran in fits and starts and this, combined with the wet ground, especially in the historical centre’s path full of bends, made us use more energies than expected. Around kilometre 30 I tried to defend myself against an attack by Ngeny Kipkemboi, but during following stretches I was forced to slow down. The route is really beautiful, may be not very easy, but undoubtedly charming. And people were great: they supported me metre after metre”.

All in all, with over 9 thousand registered runners and 7.350 competitors, breaking the tape, despite the bad weather conditions that discouraged many people to start the race, the XXV edition of the Florence marathon was a great success.

“I wish to thank both athletes for the show they offered – declares Eugenio Giani, Sports Councillor of the Municipality, enthusiastically -, and the city, which since a few years is living this event with awareness and responsibility. Suffice it to think that while in the past there was always someone arguing with traffic wardens and volunteers for the circulation’s stop, today citizens are passionate and sensitive to this big day of sport. Today we had a great show, despite bad weather, and Florence reacted at its best”.

XXV EDITION OF THE FLORENCE MARATHON: KENYAN SUPREMACY DURING THE RACE OF RECORDS. GIOVANNA VOLPATO IS BACK UNDER THE RAIN

Italian Bourifa together with the first runners up to kilometre 35, surrenders at the finish.  Mancini from the Marche region conquers the third place.  7.350 athletes at the finishing line, one thousand more in comparison to last year’s record

Giovanna Volpato is back on the occasion of the XXV edition of the Florence Marathon. 33 year old athlete of Assindustria Padova is back to the marathon after her accident at the Achilles tendon at Osaka World Championships in 2007. She wins alone, whereas Kenyan athletes triumph in the men’s race, with 100% African podium, fourth ranking for Italian Migidio Bourifa, 39 years of Atletica Val Brembana.
Nearly 8 thousand athletes at the start this morning from Piazzale Michelangelo, with several defections due to bad weather after the rainstorm during the night and the threatening clouds of the morning. Rain soon arrived, heavy since the start, and accompanied the runners well over half race, making it difficult. Despite this, 7.350 runners broke the tape.

Meanwhile, top runners faced the first bends of the slope from piazzale Michelangelo, in piazza Santa Croce the solidarity festival of the Ginky Family Run was taking place. About 500 braves, both children and families, running the 2 km non competitive race in the historical centre out of 2 thousand registered people. The official start was entrusted to Daniela Lastri, municipal Councillor for youth politics, and to Igor Cassina, Olympic gold medal in gymnastic at Athens 2007 games.

THE RACE:
At 9.20am the race started with the classic shot entrusted to Eugenio Giani, Sports Councillor of the Municipality, with 8 thousands athletes challenging bad weather and starting their marathon from  piazzale Michelangelo towards the heart of Florence, preceded by the disabled marathons a couple of minutes before with about thirty brave handy-bike participants. Good rhythm at the start with the two ‘hares’ running at 3’03” per kilometre, followed by main protagonists such as Ethiopian Sefu Fekene, Italian Migidio Bourifa, Kenyans Stephen Kipkoech Kibiwott and John Birgen in the spotlight. The wet ground does not help time-wise and at kilometre ten the group of top runners passes by in 31’14” and the situation remains unchanged also after 5 kilometres with best runners passing by in tight contact between them in 46’49”.

Wet streets and rain also characterize the women’s race with Italians Marcella Mancini and Giovanna Volpato to impose time, together with young Ethiopian Elfeneshe Melaku and surprising British Alice Braham: kilometre 10 passes by in 36’28”, while at kilometre 15 the chronometer registers 54’43”. At the passage of the half marathon in 1h05’37”, Bourifa passes along with the two hares, which seem slowing down, soon followed by a small group of best runners, with Kenyans John Birgen and Paul Ngeny Kipkemboi in the forefront. Among women, the race goes on with Ethiopian Melaku side by side with Italians Mancini and Volpato, passing kilometre 21st in 1h16’30”, while British Braham seems to be tired, considered her rhythm considerably lower than her personal record of  2h40’ achieved this year in London.  

The turning point in the men’s race is around kilometre 35 when Kenyan Jackson Kirwa Kiprono firmly takes the lead along with more experienced John Birgen.   Migidio Bourifa, Paul Ngeny Kipkemboi and Stephen Kipchoech Kibiwott try to hold fast, but loose ground progressively.
Finish is a breathless competition between Birgen, mistaking a little bit at the last bend and  Kiprono conquering the meter sufficient to break the tape hands raised in 2h12’37”.

Also the decisive attack of Giovanna Volpato starts between kilometre 32 and 35, when athletes run through the Cascine Park. Along long Florence driveways, the runner from the Veneto region speeds up her rhythm and only British Braham tries to hold fast, meanwhile Mancini slows down and Ethiopian Melaku is overcome by a crisis. At kilometre 35 the Italian athlete passes in 2h07’25”, followed at 33” by Braham, at 55” by Mancini and at 1’13 by the African athlete. Finish is a triumphal parade for Giovanna Volpato thus crowning her return to the marathon with a persuasive victory after over one year stop.

The disabled race, with half participation due to the bad weather, is characterized by the alternating lead of Fabrizio Caselli, from Borgo San Lorenzo in the province of Florence and member of the Spinal Chord Unit, mythic Roland Ruepp, of Gs Disabili Alto Adige, and Giovanni Achenza of Dsg Gazlur. They set the pace, alternating themselves in the lead. A little before kilometre 35 it is Fabrizio Caselli to speed up the rhythm progressively, thus outdistancing his two opponents in the race. The marathon of the Florentine runner ends raised hands in piazza Santa Croce, in 1h27’06”.

Final placing:
MEN – 1) Jackson Kirwa Kiprono (Ken, 22 years) 2h12’37’’ 2) John Birgen (Ken, 33 years) 2h12’38’’, 3) Paul Kipkemboi Ngeny (Ken, 28 years) 2h13’36’’,  4) Migidio Bourifa (Ita – Atletica Val Brembana, 39 years) 2h13’44,  5) Stephen Kipkoech Kibiwott (Ken 28 years) 2h15’24’’, 6) Nicodemus Biwott (Ken, 26 years) 2h15’30’’, 7) Andi Jones (GBR, 30 years) 2h17’51’’, 8) Thomas Payn (GBR, 29 years)  2h18’47”, 9) Fekene Sefu (Eth 21 years) 2h22’48”,10) Peter Steib (Hun, 28 years)  2h27’27”.

WOMEN – 1) Giovanna Volpato (Ita – Assindustria Padova, 33 years) 2h34’14’’,  2) Alice Braham (GBR, 32 years) 2h35’24’’,  3) Marcella Mancini (Ita, Runner Team 99 SBV, 37 years) 2h36’30’’,  4) Melaku Elfneshe (Eth 23 years) 2h44’53’’,  5) Monika Nagi (Hun, 21 years) 2h47’58,   6) Daneja Grandovec (Hun 24 years) 2h51’49,   7) Loretta Giarda (G.S. Avis Gambolò, 28 years) 2h55’06,  8) Elizabeth Stavreski (GBR, years) 2h56’54, 9) Elena Casaro (A.S.D. Atl. Club 2000 Dobbiaco, 38 years) 2h57’49, 10) Francesca Patuelli (G.S Gabbi) 2h58’05’’.

DISABLED ATHLETES – 1) Fabrizio Caselli (Spinal Chord Unit of Florence, 40 years) 1h27’06’’, 2) Roland Ruepp (G.S. Disabili Alto Adige, 43 years) 1h28’35, 3) Giovanni Achenza (DSG Gazlur, 37 years) 1h28’53’’, 4) Mauro Cratassa (A.S.D Vitersport, 44 years) 1h32’26’’, 5) Francesco Pecoraio (A.S.D Basket and others, 37 years) 1h43’11’’, 6) Karl Tappeiner (G.S Disabili Alto Adige, 52 years) 1h46’40’’, 7) Manlio Nogaro (Basket and others, 65 years) 1h52’45’’, 8) Cristiano Picco (Basket and others, 29 years) 1h52’45’’, 9) Cesare Piccini (Polis Nordest 40, 61 years) 1h53’49’’, 10) Daniele Grandelis (A.S.D Basket and others, 61 years) 1h55’49’’.