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Mugo Samuel Muturi of Kenya (C), Negari Getachew Terfa of Ethiopia (L) and Kisri Rachid of Morocco react during the awarding ceremony of 2009 Xiamen International Marathon in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan. 3, 2009. Mugo Samuel Muturi won the title with 2 hours 8 minutes and 51 seconds. Negari Getachew Terfa won the silver medal while Kisri Rachid got the bronze. (Xinhua Photo)
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Up-and-coming Mugo Samuel Muturi of Kenya made a tenacious late run to win the 7th Xiamen International Marathon on Saturday, setting his personal best to create a new course record.
Muturi came from behind to overtake the tiring front-runners and ran alone unchallenged in the final two kilometers before crossing the line with a time of two hours, eight minutes and 51 seconds, chopping 0.52 seconds of the former course mark set by Ethiopian Hailu Negussie in 2003.
Negari Getachew Terfa of Ethiopia finished second with 5.0 seconds adrift but still felt comfort to break the previous record. Morocco's Kisri Rachid was third in 2:10:33.
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Runners take part in the 2009 Xiamen International Marathon in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan. 3, 2009. (Xinhua Photo)
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On a cool 12 degrees Celsius, windy day, a record of over 30,000 runners started the race at 8:00 a.m. local time.
Though ranking last of the 23 elite male runners invited to Xiamen, the 22-year-old Muturi reached the 30-kilometer mark in the third place and pulled away from fellowman Kiyeng David Kemboito join the duel with the Ethiopian Terfa.
Muturi mustered her energy in a grueling uphill bridge test to hit the front and went on for victory with powerful spurt in the final two kilometers. Kemboi, who led for much of the race, slowed down and failed to seek a top-eight finish. The defending champion, Kenei Kiprotich, also a Kenyan, hasn't caught people's eyes even from the start.
"I'm happy to create my personal best today," said Muturi.
"I made an early acceleration in the 33rd kilometer mark just because I felt comfortable and strong." added the Kenyan, who can claim the winner's prize of 30,000 U.S. dollars plus a 15,000 dollars course record premium.
On women's side, Chen Rong, who began to stage a solo race after the half course, led China a clean sweep on the podium. But Chen's winning time of 2:29:52 was seven minutes adrift of the record set by her compatriot, the defending champion Zhang Yingying in 2008. Zhang finished second in 2:32:57 and Wang Jiali stood third with one minute and one second further.
Under a clear sky with a light wind on the coastal city of 2.3 million, the runners from over 37 countries and regions together competed in the 5km and 10km races, half-marathon, and marathon.
The Xiamen International Marathon, inaugurated in 2003 and hailed by IAAF as the Gold Label Road Race, is also well-known forits charming course, which runs largely through the scenic sections of the coastal city.
The flat "Island Ring Road" and landscaped areas are considered especially ideal for a gruelling 42.195 km race.
