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Kenyan Samson Kandie and Italian Rosaria Console won the 21st Vienna City

Marathon. Kandie clocked 2:08:35 beating the course record by 13 seconds

despite a very strong wind. It was the biggest marathon win for the 33

year-old. Raymond Kipkoech (Kenya) was second in 2:10:45, Luis Jesus (Portugal)

came in third with 2:11:24. Rosaria Console showed a convincing performance in

the wind beating the marathon World Champion from 2001, Lidia Simon (Romania)

by more than a minute. Running 2:29:22 the 24 year-old Console should have made

the Italian team. Simon finished second in 2:30:40 and qualified for Athens as

well. Sonja Oberem (Germany) was third with 2:30:58. Altogether 19,785 runners

took part in various events of this year’s Vienna City Marathon.

The pace was moderate in the first part of the race, when a big leading

group of 14 athletes passed 10 k in 30:40 minutes. But after half way (61:68)

the pace was picked up by Samson Kandie. Covering the kilometres in a sub 3:00

minute speed no other runner was able to follow the pace. “I hoped that I

could work together with Raymond Kipkoech, but he told me during the race that

he had blisters”, Samson Kandie said. He earned 10,000 Euros for the win

plus 5,000 Euros for the course record. “I was surprised about the time,

because it was windy. But it was my aim to win this race and I knew I would do

it already after half way. This is a great marathon and without the wind I

would have broken 2:08. So next year I will come back to improve my course

record”, Samson Kandie said. There was a success for an Austrian athlete

as well. Michael Buchleitner finished fifth in 2:12:58, just inside the

national qualifying time for Athens of 2:13:00.

Rosaria Console ran a smooth race covering the first half in 1:14:28

followed by 1:14:53. The top women runners were running together in the first

part of the race. 10 k was passed in 35:31. At 25 k (1:28:09) it was down to

Rosaria Console and Lidia Simon. The Italian then coped best with the wind,

while for the World Marathon Champion of 2001 the later stages became

difficult. “I was still suffering of a cold. But I have qualified for

Athens and will now prepare for the Olympics”, Lidia Simon said.

“When I saw the entries for the race I did never expect to win this,

because there were Lidia and Sonja. But at 31 k I felt pretty good and realised

that I would have a chance to do it. I liked this marathon very much –

the organisation and the spectators were superb. I would not have made it

without their support”, Rosaria Console said. She won 10,000 Euros in

Vienna. The Italian, who was fifth at the European Championships in 2002, will

marry Italian marathon runner Danielle Caimmi in autumn. Caimmi is already

selected for Athens. Console had run the Rome Marathon just seven weeks ago,

where she finished third in 2:33:15. That would perhaps not have been enough

for the Olympics. So she decided to run Vienna today.

Vienna City Marathon, Results:

Men: 1. Samson Kandie Kenya 2:08:35 2. Raymond Kipkoech Kenya 2:10:45 3.

Luis Jesus Portugal 2:11:24 4. Artur Osman Poland 2:12:48 5. Michael

Buchleitner Austria 2:12:58 6. Patrick Chumba Kenya 2:13:08 7. Elijah Mulandiro

Kenya 2:13:55 8. Piotr Gladki Poland 2:14:28 9. Mykola Rudyk Ukraine 2:15:00

10. Josphat Rop Kenia 2:15:08 11. Moses Tanui Kenia 2:15:09

Frauen: 1. Rosaria Console Italy 2:29:22 2. Lidia Simon Romania 2:30:40 3.

Sonja Oberem Germany 2:30:58 4. Eva-Maria Gradwohl Austria 2:38:04 5. Serap

Aktas Turkey 2:38:43 6. Francesca Zanusso Italy 2:45:16