Austrian Guenther Weidlinger upstaged Olympic champions Sammy Wanjiru and Stefano Baldini to take out the Great Australian Run over 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) here on Sunday.The three-time Olympian kicked clear in the final stages of the mass public run to win in 43 minutes and one second and 17 seconds ahead of Australians Collis Birmingham and Martin Dent.
Kenya's Beijing Olympic marathon champion Wanjiru was fourth in 44:20 and 2004 Athens Olympic marathon gold medallist Baldini finished 11th in 45:42.
Wanjiru, 23, only arrived in Australia late Friday because of the hospitalisation of his daughter and said his tiredness had affected his form.
The man tipped to break Haile Gebrselassie?s world marathon record next year, he wasn?t at his best as he chose to sit in the leading pack rather than aggressively set the tempo out in front.
"Today was not my day," Wanjiru said. "I can come here to try again (next year), maybe to break the course record or world record for 15km."
Weidlinger and Birmingham ran away from Wanjiru at the 6.5km mark and the Austrian found something extra to shake off Birmingham just before the 10km mark and didn?t look back in the final 5km.
"It?s probably one of my biggest victories because I have beaten two Olympic champions with Baldini and Wanjiru and I have beaten the European champion Jose Manuel Martinez (who finished eighth in 44:58)," Weidlinger, 31, said.
"He (Wanjiru) showed from the start that somebody should lead with him and after 1.5km, I thought ?I feel good and I am in the race and in the rhythm? so I tried to push a bit and split up the lead group.
"I realised that Wanjiru was not in his best shape so I tried to push the last 200m uphill and we lost him.
"I was really happy that we lost him, because you never know with a Kenyan behind you what will happen."
Ethiopian great Gebrselassie won last year's race from Kenyan Patrick Makau in 42:40 minutes.
Australian Nikki Chapple won this year's women's race in 50 minutes and 18 seconds ahead of compatriot Benita Willis and British dual Olympian Helen Clitheroe.
Portugal's 1996 Olympic champion Fernanda Ribeiro finished fourth in 51:41.
PICTURE GALLERY
Weidlinger wins, Wanjiru withers at Great Australian Run
In a surprise result, three-time Austrian Olympian Guenther Weidlinger and emerging Australian distance runner Nikki Chapple have taken out the 2009 Great Australian Run.
Braving the wet Melbourne weather amongst 3000 pavement pounders, Weidlinger completed the 15km course in 43 minutes and 1 second, seventeen seconds ahead of Australian 10,000m record holder Collis Birmingham (43:19) and fellow Australian Martin Dent (44:00).
Clearly affected by his late arrival due to the hospitalisation of his daughter in Kenya, 2008 Olympic marathon champion Sammy Wanjiru wasn’t at his sharpest, finishing fourth in 44:20, whilst 2004 Olympic marathon champion Stefano Baldini (ITA) crossed the line in 11th place.
Chapple dominated the women’s event, crossing the Albert Park finish line in a time of 50 minutes and 18 seconds. Multiple Australian record holder Benita Willis recovered from a sluggish start to finish strongly in second position (51:15) and complete the Australian double. Dual Olympian Helen Clitheroe of Great Britain finished third in 51:17.
More than 3000 casual weekend joggers and walkers of all levels enjoyed the unique opportunity to run with the world’s best athletes whilst targeting their own personal goals and in many cases, raising money for their own favourite charity.
A number of sporting stars and celebrities also tested themselves against the world’s best including Olympic gold medalist Cathy Freeman, world championship bronze medallist Craig Mottram, Triple M’s Mieke Buchan, comedian Adam Rozenbachs and V8 supercar drivers Rick Kelly and Paul Dumbrell.
And it wasn't only the adults who got to have all of the fun. Hundreds of kids and families pulled on their runners and were let loose around Albert Park on Saturday for the IGA Great Australian Family and Junior Run.
Olympic 400m champion Cathy Freeman set them off, a sea of painted faces and happy kids enjoying the opportunity to run for fun in the Saturday morning sun.
Australia’s best wheelchair athletes also raced around Albert Park yesterday morning, multiple Paralympic medallist Richard Colman (22.30.6) narrowly defeating four-time Paralympian Richard Nicholson (2.31.80) by just over a second on the 10km course. Beijing silver medallist Madi de Rozario (28.22.5) took out the women’s race.
Weidlinger wins, Wanjiru withers at Great Australian Run
In a surprise result, three-time Austrian Olympian Guenther Weidlinger and emerging Australian distance runner Nikki Chapple have taken out the 2009 Great Australian Run.
Braving the wet Melbourne weather amongst 3000 pavement pounders, Weidlinger completed the 15km course in 43 minutes and 1 second, seventeen seconds ahead of Australian 10,000m record holder Collis Birmingham (43:19) and fellow Australian Martin Dent (44:00).
Clearly affected by his late arrival due to the hospitalisation of his daughter in Kenya, 2008 Olympic marathon champion Sammy Wanjiru wasn’t at his sharpest, finishing fourth in 44:20, whilst 2004 Olympic marathon champion Stefano Baldini (ITA) crossed the line in 11th place.
Chapple dominated the women’s event, crossing the Albert Park finish line in a time of 50 minutes and 18 seconds. Multiple Australian record holder Benita Willis recovered from a sluggish start to finish strongly in second position (51:15) and complete the Australian double. Dual Olympian Helen Clitheroe of Great Britain finished third in 51:17.
More than 3000 casual weekend joggers and walkers of all levels enjoyed the unique opportunity to run with the world’s best athletes whilst targeting their own personal goals and in many cases, raising money for their own favourite charity.
A number of sporting stars and celebrities also tested themselves against the world’s best including Olympic gold medalist Cathy Freeman, world championship bronze medallist Craig Mottram, Triple M’s Mieke Buchan, comedian Adam Rozenbachs and V8 supercar drivers Rick Kelly and Paul Dumbrell.
And it wasn't only the adults who got to have all of the fun. Hundreds of kids and families pulled on their runners and were let loose around Albert Park on Saturday for the IGA Great Australian Family and Junior Run.
Olympic 400m champion Cathy Freeman set them off, a sea of painted faces and happy kids enjoying the opportunity to run for fun in the Saturday morning sun.
Australia’s best wheelchair athletes also raced around Albert Park yesterday morning, multiple Paralympic medallist Richard Colman (22.30.6) narrowly defeating four-time Paralympian Richard Nicholson (2.31.80) by just over a second on the 10km course. Beijing silver medallist Madi de Rozario (28.22.5) took out the women’s race.
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