January 2003

Marathon :Noguchi sets 2:21:18 course record and leads home sweep in Osaka 26 Jan
Osaka, Japan - Today’s highly anticipated Osaka Ladies International marathon did not disappoint. Not only was the course record, 2:22:54 of Romania's Lidia Simon broken, but the race also had an impact on the world all-time best performer's list for the Marathon.. [ more ]

XCountry : European Championships rematch in Tourcoing. 24 Jan 2003
Tourcoing, France - The main attraction of the 18th "Cross Auchan-Roncq Tourcoing" – the only French event of the IAAF cross-country circuit - which takes place in Tourcoing, northern France, this Sunday, will be the competition between Sergiy Lebid and Frenchman Mustapha Essaid, respectively gold and silver medallists in the last European championships in Croatia. [ more ]

XCountry : O'Sullivan and Lebid confirm World Cross bids 23/01
Lausanne – With just over two months until the 31st IAAF World Cross Country Championships are held in Lausanne-La-Broye on the weekend of 29 – 30 March 2003, two of the world’s premier distance runners, Ireland’s Sonia O’Sullivan and Ukraine’s Sergiy Lebid have confirmed their participation... [ more ]

Marathon : Simon aims to defend World crown 21/01
Bucharest - Romania’s Lidia Simon, the reigning World Marathon champion, who gave birth to a baby boy on 24 December in Boulder, Colorado, USA, is already focused on the defence of her World crown in Paris this summer.. [ more ]

Indoor Track : Garcia to attempt Puttemans’ mark 20/01
Spain’s European indoor 3000m and outdoor 5000m champion Alberto Garcia will make an attempt on the European 5000m record which is still in the possession of legendary Belgium ace Emiel Puttemansat 13.20.8 on Jan. 10th 1976 in Paris, Porte de Pantin. ... [ more ]

Australia News : De Castella loses all in fires 19/01
ALL Robert De Castella has to show from his decade-long marathon career is the charred remnants of a few medals.

De Castella lost his home, office and all his possessions when a ferocious firestorm ripped through Chapman and other suburbs in the national capital yesterday. [ more ]

World Cross Country in Seville : Bekele again 19/01
Seville, Spain – The 21st ‘Cross Internacional de Itálica’ has been won by the reigning double IAAF World Champion Kenenisa Bekele [ more ]

XCountry : Bekele rolls to victory in Spain 13/01
ELGOIBAR, Spain (January 12, 2003 2:03 p.m. EST) - Kenenisha Bekele showed here on Sunday just why the legendary Ethiopian runner Haile Gebrselassie has repeatedly described his compatriot as his heir apparent.
He added his name to an illustrious list of former champions in the 60-year history of the race, one of the oldest cross country races in the world, and notched up his fifth consecutive victory since returning from injury in November. [ more ]

Kiplagat prepares for defence of Osaka title 13/01
Egmond aan Zee, The Netherlands - In windy and cold conditions Kenya's Lornah Kiplagat, preparing for the Osaka Ladies Marathon in two weeks time - which she won a year ago in 2:23:55 - was a class of her own, winning today’s 31st edition of the Egmond aan Zee Half Marathon in 1:12:28.. [ more ]

Lebid eyes Lausanne after Belfast win 12/01
Belfast - Sergiy Lebid ended the African domination in Belfast yesterday at the latest IAAF cross country permit meeting, and hopes to do the same in Lausanne at this year’s IAAF World Cross Country Championships. [ more ]