Ukrainian Double at Ljubljana Marathon
Ukrainian Olexander Sitkovsky and Tatyana Filonyuk took victories in the Ljubljana Marathon on Sunday. Sitkovsky set a new course record of 2:12.49 in the pouring rain to clinch the men's title, whereas Filonyuk held off Slovenian champion Helena Javornik to take victory in the women's race in a time of 2:34.58.
Sitkovsky, for whom this was only the second marathon to date, built a healthy lead ahead of the Rotich brothers of Kenya in the final stages of the race. In the end, both Sammy Rotich (2:14.01) and Solomon Rotich (2:14.13) finished more than a minute behind him.
In the women's competition, Javornik finished with a time of 2:35.45, while third-placed Mulu Seboke of Ethiopia was more than three minutes behind the winner.
"It was very difficult to run because of the rain and cold. I'm extremely happy with the result," Filonyuk said after the race. Like Sitkovsky, Filonyuk also ran her best in the last five kilometres. "She was very well prepared and came from behind with a flurry in the last five kilometres," said second-placed Javornik, who battled with a stomach problem half-way into the race to clinch second.
A total of 673 men and 80 women competed in today's 42km event. Together with the side events, including the half-marathon and the 10 km run as well as children's competitions, over 8,000 runners from 37 countries competed in the event.
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