Athletics: Marathon best lasts just days

CHICAGO - Kenyan Catherine Ndereba capped the most historic week in the history of women's marathon running yesterday when she smashed the world best, clocking 2h 18m 47s in Chicago.

Ndereba shaved almost a minute off the previous best of 2h 19m 46s, which Japan's Naoko Takahashi set in Berlin last week.

On successive Mondays, the pair took marathon running into a new era by becoming the first women to break the 2h 20s barrier.

Ndereba, the defending Chicago champion, had talked about her hopes of breaking the record before the race and, after crossing the line, described her performance as a "dream."

She glanced up to see her finishing time and the tears began to flow.

"'It was overwhelming, I could not express it. I could not believe my eyes that I could go under 2h 19m. It is my prayer and my dream."

Elfenesh Alemu, of Ethiopia, finished second in 2h 24m 54s, followed by Kerryn McCann (Australia) in 2h 26m 04s.

Ndereba's victory meant both the men's and women's world bests have been set at the Chicago Marathon.

Three-time champion Khalid Khannounchi, who did not compete this year, set the men's mark of 2h 05m 42s in 1999.

Ndereba said knowing that Takahashi had broken 2h 20m made it easier for her.

"Perhaps in the future, women can go 2m 15s. No one knows with the new generation coming."

Running on a crisp morning with temperatures just above zero degrees, Ndereba completed the first half in 1h 10m 14s and then picked up the pace to clock 1h 08m 33s in the second.

Her compatriot, Ben Kimondiu, won the men's race in 2h 08m 52s. Kimondiu beat his countryman Paul Tergat into second place by 4s in a slog to the finish.

New Zealand distance runner Craig Kirkwood qualified for the Commonwealth Games marathon with almost two minutes to spare when he finished 13th.

Kirkwood ran a personal best of 2h 13m 18s, the fastest by a New Zealander this year, to easily beat the Games standard of 2h 15m.

The England-based Timaru runner, who trained in Kenya at altitude for Chicago, became the second New Zealander to go under the Games standard in two weekends.

Jonathan Wyatt, of Wellington, ran 2h 14m 55s in Berlin.

Kirkwood went to Chicago with a personal best of 2h 16m 25s, run in his marathon debut at London in April.

He attacked the race, zipping through the opening 15km in 46m 26s and then held on well after being on target for 2h 12m 14s at the 30km mark.

His time took him past Phil Costley to the head of this year's New Zealand rankings.

- NZPA