KENYAN CORNER: Winner Simon Maiyo (right), runner-up Mark Yatich (centre) and Francis Kamau made it a Kenyan sweep in the full marathon.- PHOTO: V.V. KRISHNAN

NEW DELHI: African runners cornered most of the prize money as Simon Maiyo led a Kenyan sweep in the men's section of the Delhi international marathon here on Sunday.

Maiyo won the 42.195 km event in 2 hours 17 minutes with countrymen Mark Yatich (2:17:02) and Francis Kamau (2:17:03) following him in that order in a close finish.

Maiyo took control of the leading pack after the pre-race favourite, Leonid Svetsov of Russia, pulled out after the 26-km mark. The Russian failed to cope with the heat, despite the morning start and he suffered from dehydration before deciding to retire.

Same story

For the Africans, it did not matter though. It was the same story in the women's section as the Ethiopians grabbed two podium positions. Enantesh Tadesse took 2 hours 44 minutes and 29 seconds to win the marathon while her compatriot Kenneni Chala (2:44:37) took the third place. Tanzania's Monika Samila (2:44:33) won the silver medal pushing Kenyan women out of the medal reckoning.

The Delhi half-marathon winner in October last, Irina Timofeyeva of Russia, was expected to be the biggest draw in the women's section. But she did not start on Sunday, and the organisers had no clue about it.

In the half-marathon, Kenya's John Murithi (1:03:44) won the men's gold medal followed by Tesaye Assefa of Ethiopia and Julius Kibet of Kenya. Catherine Mutwa (1:14:23) won the third gold for Kenya as she edged ahead of Seraklem Bisset (1:15.06) of Ethiopia a few hundred meters from the finish line. Ethiopia's Tadalech Birru was third with 1:14:43 to complete the African domination.

Chaotic

The event as such was chaotic in many respects. That a $2,50,000 marathon, one of the richest in the world, was hand timed throughout projected a poor image. The runners had no clue about the time, as there was no lead vehicle with the electronic timer on top.

As the race was on, the organisers announced a memorabilia medal for each runner who would complete the 42.195-km race. While many a genuine marathoner was left high and dry, hundreds of others who participated in the fun runs went berserk and made away with the medals leaving the organisers red-faced.

As for the Indians in the competition, Army's Surinder Kumar was first among the home runners with a timing of 2:25:59. BSF's Hoshiyar Singh (2:26:71) was second and Army's Raj Kumar (2:27:50) third.

One of the Race Directors, Rupinder Singh, struggled to provide the overall positions to the media as he had to scrutinise a bunch of handwritten pages handed out to him by the technical officials posted by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).

L. Leelamma of Railways was first among the Indian women in 2:53:38 followed by Indresh Dhiraj (3:02:44) and Bhagwati (3:11:27). Leelamma finished seventh overall, behind the Russian Lilya Yazdhak (2:51.40), but she was curiously denied the prize money.

Leelamma, no doubt got $3,000 for being first among the Indians, but she deserved to get $2,000 for the seventh finish in the overall section.

Instead, Kenya's Agnes Chepchumba (2:29.25) was given the seventh position. The other Race Director, Nathan Clayton, said "it works this way only".

Clayton, incidentally is a Lebanon-based agent for the most of the marathon runners who ran here on Sunday.

The results: Marathon: Men: 1. Simon Maiyo (Ken) 2:17:00, 2. Mark Yatich (Ken) 2:17:02, 3. Francis Kamau (Ken) 2:17:03, 4. Abraham Yilma (Eth) 2:17:17, 5. Abebe Seyoum (Eht) 2:17:36, 6. Gemechu Kebede (Eth) 2:17:52. Women: 1. Enantesh Tadesse (Eth) 2:44:29, 2. Monika Samila (Tan) 2:44:33, 3. Kenneni Chala (Eth) 2:44:37, 4. Alemtsehay Hailu (Eth) 2:44:52, 5. Jane Ekimat (Ken) 2:46:39, 6. Lilya Yazdhak (Rus) 2:51:40. Half-marathon: Men: 1. John Murithi (Ken) 1:03:44, 2. Tesaye Assefa (Eth) 1:03:47, 3. Julius Kibet (Ken) 1:05:31, 4. Deep Chand (Ind) 1:05:40, 6. P. Nagender Rao (Ind) 1:05:49.

Women: 1. Catherine Mutwa (Ken) 1:14:23, 2. Seraklem Bisset (Eth) 1:15:06, 3. Tadalech Birru (Eth) 1:15:43, 4. Joyce Kandie (Ken) 1:15:43, 5. Rebecca Chesire (Ken) 1: 38:57.

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