News from an Italian classic plus results from Lille where there was a British best and near world record in the 5km

Acea Run Rome The Marathon, Italy, March 19

The Rome Marathon got off to a flying start on Sunday with an iconic passage of Italian acrobatic team “Frecce Tricolori”, Alberto Stretti reports.

Following this, around 13,000 athletes tackled the course on the streets of Rome. The men passed through halfway in 63:24 but the battle began after 30km with Taoufik Allam of Morocco and Wilfred Kigen of Kenya duelling until 35km when the Moroccan pulled away.

Last year the 33-year-old Allam won the Dublin Marathon and here in Rome he took victory by just over a minute in 2:07:43.

Nekagenet Crippa in 2:12:10 was first Italian in sixth place.

The women passed halfway in 71:03 and looked to be an Ethiopian affair but Betty Chepkwony of Kenya closed the gap on the leaders and then kicked away to finish in 2:23:02 as Amid Jemal of Ethiopia was runner-up two minutes behind.

Men: Mar: 1 Taoufik Allam MAR 2:07:43; 2 Wilfred Kirwa Kigen KEN 2:08:45; 3 Rogers Keror KEN 2:10:50; 4 Felix Kirui KEN 2:11:13; 5 Berhanu Heye ETH 2:11:51; 6 Nekagenet Crippa 2:12:11; 7 Sisay Fekadu ETH 2:15:42; 19 Tom Fairbrother GBR 2:31:13 25 Ben Goddard GBR 2:34:36

Women: Mar: 1 Betty Chepkwony KEN 2:23:02; 2 Amid Jemal ETH 2:25:09; 3 Zinash Debebe ETH 2:25:59; 4 Jemila Wortesa ETH 2:28:01; 5 Mulugojam Ambi ETH 2:29:25

Lille, France, March 19

Yomif Kejelcha just missed the world 5km record with his 12:50 falling a second short of the world record.

Kenya’s Reynold Cheruiyot was second in 13:04 while Sam Atkin set a British best of 13:16 in sixth to be top European.

Kenya’s Caroline Nyaga won the women’s race in a fast 14:35 from Ethiopia’s Mekides Bekele who was credited with the same time.

For a fuller report on the 5km click here

The 10km races were headed by Gemechu Dida (27:12) and Kenya’s Dorcas Kimeli (30:48).

Patrick Mosin won the half-marathon in 59:31 from fellow Kenyans Alfred Barkach (59:32) and Solomon Kipchoge (59:37) while former world cross country champion Emily Chebet continued her comeback from a doping ban with a victory in 67:52.

Men: 5km: 1 Yomif Kejelcha ETH 12:50 (rec); 2 Raynold Kipkorir KEN 13:04; 3 Telahun Haile ETH 13:07; 4 Jacob Krop KEN 13:13; 5 Tesfaye Kidanu ETH 13:14; 6 Sam Atkin GBR 13:16; 7 Justin Kipkoech KEN 13:22; 8 Rogers Kibet UGA 13:30; 9 Yasin Haji ETH 13:38; 10 Abraham Seme ETH 13:41; 11 Djilali Bedrani 13:42

Men: 10km: 1 Gemechu Dida ETH 27:12; 2 Emmanuel Kiprop KEN 27:13; 3 Stanley Waithaka KEN 27:18; 4 Kiprono Sitonik KEN 27:20; 5 Peter Maru UGA 27:30; 6 Edward Zakayo KEN 28:10; 7 Cornelius Kemboi KEN 28:25; 8 Ezekiel Mutai UGA 28:26

Men: HM: 1 Patrick Mosin KEN 59:31; 2 Alfred Barkach KEN 59:32; 3 Solomon Kipchoge KEN 59:37; 4 Anthony Kimutai KEN 60:43; 5 Etienne Daguinos 61:39; 6 Abraham Cheroben BRN 61:54; 7 Vincent Rono KEN 62:18; 8 Inyasi Sulle TAN 62:21; 9 El Hadi Laameche ALG 62:59

Women
5km: 1 Caroline Nyaga KEN 14:35; 2 Mekides Abebe ETH 14:35; 3 Doris Lengole Cherop KEN 14:40; 4 Brenda Chebet KEN 14:57; 5 Zenah Yego KEN 15:09; 6 Peruth Chemutai UGA 15:12 (rec); 7 Luiza Gega ALB 15:16; 8 Wede Kefale ETH 15:22

10km: 1 Dorcas Kimeli KEN 30:48; 2 Mercyline Jerono KEN 30:50; 3 Ayel Likina ETH 31:54; 4 Millicent Kemboi KEN 31:55; 5 Naomi Taschimowitz GBR 33:40

HM: 1 Emily Chebet KEN 67:52; 2 Addisie Andualem ETH 67:59; 3 Manon Trapp 71:26; 4 Marie Perrier MRI 72:52 (rec)

Zurich Marató de Barcelona, Spain, March 19

Ethiopia’s Zeinaba Yimer won the women’s race in 2:19:44 as Bahrain’s Marius Kimutai won the men’s race in 2:05:06 ahead of Othmane El Goumri’s Moroccan record of 2:05:12.

In ninth, Iliass Aouani set an Italian record of 2:07:16.

Men: Mar:
1 Marius Kimutai BRN 2:05:06; 2 Othmane El Goumri MAR 2:05:12 NR; 3 Kaan Kigen Özbilen TUR 2:05:37; 4 Oqbe Kibrom ERI 2:05:51; 5 Joel Kimurer KEN 2:06:32; 6 Tadesse Abraham SUI 2:06:43; 7 Kenneth Keter KEN 2:06:56; 8 Abdi Kebede ETH 2:07:14; 9 Iliass Aouani ITA 2:07:16 NR; 10 Filmon Abraham GER 2:08:22; 11 Kelkile Gezahegn ETH 2:08:34; 12 Leonard Barsoton KEN 2:09:06; 13 James Kiplagat KEN 2:09:08; 14 Adugna Takele ETH 2:10:12; 15 Moses Kimulwo KEN 2:12:43; 16 Nicolae Alexandru Soare ROU 2:15:39; 19 Thomas Cornthwaite GBR 2:19:57; 31 Doug Musson GBR 2:29:47 46 Richard Gibbs GBR 2:36:13

Women: Mar: 1 Zeineba Yimer ETH 2:19:44; 2 Sally Chepyego KEN 2:20:03; 3 Delvin Meringor ROU 2:20:49; 4 Bezunesh Getachew ETH 2:22:38; 5 Zenebu Fikadu ETH 2:24:43; 6 Azmera Gebru ETH 2:24:58; 7 Yenenesh Dejene ETH 2:26:30; 8 Tseginesh Mekonnin ETH 2:27:00

Wuxi, China, March 19

Men: Mar: 1 Enock Onchari KEN 2:07:19, 2 He Jie 2:07:30 NR; 3 Yang Shaohui 2:07:49; 4 Alex Saekwo KEN 2:09:08; 5 Feng Peiyou 2:09:21; 6 Moses Kigen KEN 2:09:56; 7 Wu Xiangdong 2:10:02; 8 Limenih Getachew ETH 2:10:45; 9 Huang Yongzheng 2:10:49; 10 Yang Kegu 2:11:24; 11 Gao Peng 2:11:28; 12 Bira Seboka ETH 2:11:54; 13 Shengo Kebede ETH 2:12:03; 14 Emmanuel Sikuku KEN 2:12:04; 15 Xu Wenhao 2:12:22; 16 Tuoliehan Tuluabulei 2:12:46; 17 Yin Shujin 2:12:47; 18 Suolang Cairen 2:12:47; 19 Nagu Habtamu ETH 2:13:37; 20 Yang Xiaohua 2:13:54

Women: Mar: 1 Bai Li 2:26:33; 2 Chernet Misganaw ETH 2:28:00; 3 Korene Jelila ETH 2:29:51; 4 Gelane Senbete ETH 2:29:54; 5 Li Meizhen 2:30:01; 6 Mariam Chepkwemoi KEN 2:31:06

NYC Half, New York City, USA, March 19

World cross-country champion Jacob Kiplimo dominated the race winning easily in 61:31 ahead of world 10,000m champion Joshua Cheptegei (62:09) and Morocco’s Zouhair Taibi (62:18).

Andrew Butchart was a fine sixth in 62:58 while early leader Chris Thompson finished 16th one place on former Olympic 10,000m runner-up Galen Rupp.

Kenya’s former world 5000m champion Hellen Obiri won the women’s race in 67:21 ahead of Ethiopia’s Senbere Teferi (67:55) with European cross-country champion Karoline Bjerkeli Grovdal (69:53) well back in third with Jess Judd not at her best in 12th.

For more details click here

Men: HM:
1 Jacob Kiplimo UGA 61:31; 2 Joshua Cheptegei UGA 62:09; 3 Zouhair Talbi MAR 62:18; 4 Ben True 62:57; 5 Edward Cheserek KEN 62:58; 6 Andrew Butchart GBR 62:58; 7 Nicolas Montañez 63:00; 8 Reed Fischer 63:02; 9 Frank Lara 63:07; 10 Teshome Mekonen 63:08; 11 Connor Winter 63:10; 12 Kennedy Kimutai KEN 63:20; 13 Maru Teferi ISR 63:41; 14 Yuto Akahoshi JPN 63:49; 15 Rory Linkletter CAN 64:21; 16 Chris Thompson GBR 64:32; 17 Galen Rupp 64:57; 25 Ben Cole GBR 68:49

Women: HM:
1 Hellen Obiri KEN 67:21; 2 Senbere Teferi ETH 67:55; 3 Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal NOR 69:53; 4 Diane van Es NED 70:43;5 Desiree Linden 72:21; 6 Dakotah Lindwurm 72:25; 7 Molly Huddle 72:27; 8 Natasha Wodak CAN 72:33; 9 Jeralyn Poe 72:46; 12 Jessica Judd GBR 73:28. Open: 11 Lucy Brash GBR 83:25

Carolina, Puerto Rico, March 16-18

Olympic 400m champion Steven Gardiner won the 300m in 31.59 to run one of the 20 fastest times ever and just missed his Bahamian record 31.52.

In the women’s 300m, Marileidy Paulino ran 35.16, the third fastest all-time behind Shaunae Miller-Uibo (34.41) and Beatrice Masilingi (34.60).

Briton Matt Hudson-Smith won the 200m in 20.71/0.6.

In the 600m, Ryan Sanchez set a Puerto Rican record of 1:13.97 to go 10th all-time.

Men: 100 (18th, 0.8): 1 Andrew Hudson JAM 10.12

200 (0.6): 1 Matthew Hudson-Smith GBR 20.71; 2 Jose Figueroa 20.84 (U20 rec); 3 Erick Sánchez DOM 20.93

300: 1 Steven Gardiner BAH 31.59; 2 Kyron McMaster IVB 32.96; 3 Jan Gutierrez 33.10

600: 1 Ryan Sanchez 1:13.97 (rec); 2 Michael Cherry USA 1:14.36

HJ: 1 Joel Castro 2.25

Women:
200 ( 0.6): 1 Tamari Davis USA 22.68; 2 Gabby Scott 23.49; 3 Kristal Awuah GBR 23.90

400: 1 Anabel Medina DOM 51.78

100H (-1.2): 1 Paola Vazquez 13.05

Kingston, Jamaica, March 18

While sprint times generally were disappointing at this meeting, European 200m champion Zharnel Hughes impressed with a 20.25/-1.4 victory into a headwind and Oblique Seville ran 10.13 into a 2.0m/sec headwind.

Multi Olympic sprint champion Elaine Thompson-Herah often runs a 400m in March as preparation and between 2017 and 2022 she has run respective 55.98, 55.88. 56.26 and 56.72 so it was  probably not too encouraging that this year she only ran 60.38.

Men: 100 (-2.0): 1 Oblique Seville 10.13

B (-1.4): 1 Julian Forte 10.27

200 (-1.4): 1 Zharnel Hughes GBR 20.25; 2 Ackeem Blake 20.84

400: 1 Antonio Watson 45.78; 2 Assinie Wilson 45.80; 3 Deandre Watkin 45.81; 4 Anthony Cox 45.86

Women:
200 (-0.3): 1 Sada Williams BAR 23.12; 2 Natasha Morrison 23.53

Nomi race walks, Japan, March 19

India’s Akshdeep Singh won the Asian 20km walking title in 1:20:57 but Declan Tingay won the overall men’s race in 1:18:46.

The women’s title went to Chinese Gao Lan in 1:29:25 but again an Australian guest was faster with Jemima Montag’s impressive 1:27:51 narrowly leading home Olympic silver medallist Sandra Arenas’ Colombian record of 1:28:02.

Men: 20kmW: 1 Declan Tingay AUS 1:18:46; 2 Qian Haifeng CHN 1:19:09; 3 Yuta Koga 1:19:19; 4 Kyle Swan AUS 1:19:24; 5 Yutaro Murayama 1:19:25; 6 Rhydian Cowley AUS 1:19:30. Asian Champs: 1 Akshdeep Singh LND 1:20:57; 2 Choe Byeongwang KOR 1:21:20; 3 Wen Yongjie CHN 1:22:44

Women: 20kmW:
1 Jemima Montag AUS 1:27:51; 2 Sandra Arenas COL 1:28:02  (rec); 3 Rebecca Henderson AUS 1:28:43; 4 Olivia Sandery AUS 1:28:52. Asian Champs: 1 Gao Lan CHN 1:29:25; 2 Ayane Yanai JPN 1:30:58; 3 Priyanka IND 1:32:27