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Thompson sets a new best in Anna-other sensational international performance
Anna Thompson, the 29-year-old from Melbourne, set a new personal and national best at the inaugural IAAF World Road Running Championships in Hungary last Sunday.
The primary school teacher finished in 18th position against an exceptionally strong field with a time of 1:07.23.
However the sensational performance of Lornah Kiplagat from The Netherlands stole the show. The Kenyan-born distance runner was pushed hard all the way by Romania�s Constantina Tomescu, the 2005 World Half Marathon champion, in a tough duel which resulted in a new 20km IAAF World Record. The 2006 IAAF World Cross Country Championships silver medalist surpassed Briton Paula Radcliffe�s previous mark for 20km (1:03:26) by five seconds to take out the inaugural title in 1:03: 21.
Following Thompson�s example, 27-year-old Lisa-Jane Weightman, also from Melbourne, made an outstanding debut at international level, finishing 37th in a time of 1:10.51.
Lauren Shelley, the 29-year-old physiotherapist from Western Australia finished in 1:12.22 to place 44th.
Overall the Australian women�s team placed ninth in the team rankings behind the top three nations of Kenya, Ethiopia and Japan.
The fastest 20km time in 2006 will be officially recognised by Athletics Australia as the inaugural Australian Record at the end of the year.
In the men�s event, Zersenay Tadesse, the 2004 Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist, secured his and Eritrea's first global title, just 13 seconds adrift of the World record for 20km in 56:01. In doing so he convincingly won the inaugural men�s title, from Kenyan�s Kipchumba Kipkorir (56:41) and Kebenei Kiprotich (57:15).
Australia�s Martin Dent, 27, finished in 45th position with a time of 1:01.15.
The university city of Debrecen, situated 230km east of the Hungarian capital Budapest, played host to the men�s and women�s world championship 20km event, replacing the half marathon distance previously contested.
Overall, 180 of the world�s best distance athletes contested the men�s and women�s races over the 5km loop course in which the winners collected US $30,000.
For further media information or to arrange athlete interviews, please contact:
David Culbert � Athletics Australia Media
0417 242 641 or david@jumpmedia.com.au
Michelle Cook � Athletics Australia Media
0430 177 668 or michelle@jumpmedia.com.au
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