Estonia, 9th September 2019 – This year’s Tallinna Marathon was the long-distance running event with highest level ever held in Estonia.
Tallinna Marathon set Race records in marathon and half-marathon.
The six best men on the marathon course came from Kenya. From men, the first place went to Josphat Letinga, time 2:12.42, second to Bernard Cheruiyot Sang, time 2:13.47, and third to Joseph Kyengo Munywoki, time 2:14.09. The fourth place in the highly competitive event went to Bernard Kitur (2:14.39), fifth to Moses Mbugua Gaikariga (2:15.57) and sixth to Magut Robert Kimaru (2:20.18). Never before have the first five Tallinna Maraton finishers finished under 2 hours and 16 minutes. The Estonian marathon champion title went to Raido Mitt who made his marathon debut with time 2 hours 26 minutes and 52 seconds. Estonian championships silver went to Raivo Alla (2:27.11) and bronze to Rauno Jallai (2:30.19).
The first three places in women’s marathon also went to Kenya. Pamela Rotich won with the new Tallinna Maraton record 2 hours 32 minutes and 16 seconds. Only nine seconds later Rebecca Korir took the second place (2:32.25). Ruth Matebo came in third (2:38.26). Estonian marathon champion among women is Marion Tibar with 2:50.08. The silver went to Anu Piiroja (2:57.56) and bronze to Irina Biziaeva (3:03.53).
True world-class show was put on at the half-marathon course. Evans Cheruiyot from Kenya won with the new half-marathon record in Tallinn at 1 hour and 29 seconds. The second place went to Maru Teferi from Israel with a high-level result of 1:00.52 and the third place went to Olivier Irabarute from Burundi with 1:02.12. The entire top three was faster than the Sügisjooks half-marathon record set by Pavel Loskutov in 2000, which was 1:03.23. The winner’s result ranks on the high 49th place among this year’s top results of the world. The best Estonian was Roman Fosti with 1:04.53; he is currently also preparing for the Doha world championships.
Women’s winner also set a new half-marathon race record. The first place went to Janet Ruguru Gichumbi from Kenya with 1:10.19. Second place went to Addisalem Belay Tegegn from Ethiopia (1:12.17), and third to Nina Lauwaert from Belgium (1:12.23). The best Estonian at the half-marathon course was Jekaterina Patjuk with 1:18.58.
Tallinna Maraton and half-marathon are applying to become IAAF certified marathon races and the high-class results posted by the elite runners today create superb prerequisites to obtain the bronze marathon and half-marathon levels already by 2020. This would grant the Estonian runners an option in future to qualify for international title events at the races held in Tallinn.
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