21.05.2007

Kenyans dominate on Great Ocean Road

Kenya has scored the double on Victoria’s most picturesque roadway, with David Mutua's win in the Great Ocean Road International Marathon one of the weekend's highlights.

Mutua, who turns 30 on Thursday, continued the dominance of African runners in the Lorne to Apollo Bay, winning in a time of two hours, 36 minutes and 38 seconds. However, he dashed the hopes his countryman James Kariuki had of making it back-to-back wins in the event.

Kariuki finished second in a time of 2:38.31 while Ocean Grove's David Wynn was third in 2:43.27.

Australian Olympic marathon legend Steve Moneghetti finished sixth overall in a time of 2:58.10 while Helen Stanton smashed the women's race record by 17 minutes and also finished seventh overall, eight seconds behind Moneghetti.

On Saturday, countryman Willie Mwangi set a new race record in the tough and testing 6.5-kilometre event from Apollo Bay to Marriner's Lookout.  

Boasting one of the toughest hillclimbs of any race in the world, Mwangi fired in a new race record time of 20 minutes and one second. He defeated New Zealander Jason Woodhouse and Australian Olympic marathon runner Lee Troop.

The afternoon's 14km run from Apollo Bay to Paradise and return was held in terrible conditions, with runners encountering a strong head wind and sweeping showers.

The race was won by Geelong's Mark Tucker in an impressive time of 43 minutes and 28 seconds. He battled with Kenyan Charles Muturi for most of the race before pulling clear in the final few kilometres.

Meanwhile, further north in the Sydney half marathon, Brett Cartwright was the victor joining Commonwealth Games gold medallist Steve Moneghetti as a three-time winner of the event.

Victoria’s Anna Thompson won the women's event for the second year in a row.

Cartwright finished the 21.1km course in 1:04.43, with Scott Westcott second, nine seconds back and Martin Dent (1:05.49) third.

"The time was over a minute slower than when I won in 2005 but winning today was the most important thing.

"The plan was to try and keep the pace honest and then not break away until the five or six kilometre mark and I was able to do that.

"I got a little gap on Scotty (Westcott) and then I really had to keep on pushing because I never shook him completely," explained Cartwright.

Thompson's time of 1:11.38 was good enough to see off challenges from Eliza Stewart (1:15.56) and Robyn Millard (1:18.23) – only Susie Power has run faster on this exact course.

Thompson said this year's event was a dream compared to 2006 when she ran while she was ill, but still won.

"I feel 100 per cent today and that's about 80 per cent better than last year," she said.

"I felt good out there but I didn't expect to run quite so quick.

"This is a hard course but the hills suit me and it's not a boring course. I'd like to go even quicker again another time."

Courtesy Geelong Advertiser and AAP