Marathon News - Two of Mikitenko's Berlin Splits Ratified as National Records

Dec-16-2008

Two of Mikitenko's Berlin Splits Ratified as National Records
by David Monti
(c) Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved

When Irina Mikitenko won last September's real,- Berlin Marathon in 2:19:19, she broke her own national record for the standard marathon distance. Now she's also been recognized for German records at 25 km and 30 km, thanks to Berlin race director Mark Milde who made sure proper measurement and timing practices were used at those intermediate points in his race.

Mikitenko officially passed 25 km in 1:23:07 and 30 km in 1:39:34, and those splits were recorded by a full timing crew, not just the ChampionChip timing mats. Furthermore, the distances from the race's starting line to those intermediate points were accurately measured and are close enough to the starting line (in a straight line) to negate any possible effects of a following wind (the 25 km point is approximately 4 km from the starting line while the 30 km point is about 5 km from the starting line). The course has no elevation change.

"Already at this stage I am really looking forward to my next marathon, which I will run in London," Mikitenko said through a press release. "With such a strong field you can not predict anything. It will be really interesting to see how this race will develop."

Mikitenko was the 2007/2008 World Marathon Majors series champion. Although tied with Ethiopia's Gete Wami, she was elected the champion by the Majors' five race directors in a special vote after last November's ING New York City Marathon.

The IAAF recognizes records as intermediate race points provided the same measurement and timing criteria for recording records at the finish line are employed. However, the independent Association of Road Racing Statisticians does not recognize records set at intermediate points. National federations generally follow IAAF guidelines when ratifying national records.