6th IAAF/VSZ World Half Marathon Championships
Kosice, Slovakia
October 4, 1997
Running a new World Half Marathon Championships record time, Shem Kororia (59:56) and teammate Moses Tanui (59:58) led Kenya to an easy men's team victory in the 6th IAAF/VSZ World Half Marathon Championships in Kosice.
After Tanui assumed the lead at the six kilometer mark and held it throughout, the 25-year-old Kokoria outkicked Tanui to the finish line to grab the win a $40,000 prize purse. Finishing in 60:00, Kenneth Cheruiyot gave Kenya a 1-2-3 sweep. Teams from South Africa, Ethiopia, Spain and Italy placed 2-3-4-5 behind Kenya.
The United States, which finished 24th, was led by Todd Reeser of Macedon, NY, a member of the Central Mass Striders, who finished in 64:40.
In the women's race, Tegla Loroupe of Kenya pulled away from Elana Meyer at the eleven kilometer mark and went on to record an easy victory. Her time of 68:14 is a World Half Marathon Championships women's best. With five runners in the top fifteen, Rumania edged Kenya for the women's team title.
Katrina Price, who finished 33rd overall, was the top finisher for the United States team which placed 11th.
Men
1 Shem Kororia KEN 59:56
2 Moses Tanui KEN 59:58
3 Kenneth Cheruiyot KEN 1:00:00
4 Hendrick Ramaala RSA 1:00:07
5 Mohammed Mourhit BEL 1:00:18
6 Gert Thys BEL 1:00:18
7 Abraham Assefa ETH 1:00:52
8 Luis Jesus POR 1:00:56
9 Stefana Baldini ITA 1:01:01
10 Laban Chege KEN 1:01:13
11 Lemma Alemayehu ETH 1:01:17
12 Michael Fietz GER 1:01:18
13 S. Schweickhardt SUI 1:01:26
14 Eduardo Do Nascimento BRA 1:01:27
15 Wilbroad Axweso TAN 1:01:28
US
75 Todd Reeser USA 1:04:45
81 Darrell General USA 1:05:15
102 Eric Morrison USA 1:06:59
113 David Morris USA 1:07:46
117 Jimmy Herald USA 1:08:01
Women
1 Tegla Loroupe KEN 1:08:14
2 Cristina Pomacu ROM 1:08:43
3 Lidia Simon ROM 1:09:05
4 Joyce Chepchumba KEN 1:09:07
5 Nuta Olaru ROM 1:09:52
6 Katrin Dorre GER 1:09:56
7 Lyudmila Petrova RUS 1:10:52
8 Rocjo Rios ESP 1:10:06
9 Mari Sotani JPN 1:10:13
10 Svetlana Zakharova RUS 1:10:29
11 Delilah Asiago KEN 1:10:36
12 Noriko Geji JPN 1:10:37
13 Hiromi Katayama JPN 1:10:48
14 Aurica Buia ROM 1:11:01
15 Alina Ecuta ROM 1:11:02
US
33 Katrina Price USA 1:13:07
53 Jennifer Crain USA 1:15:05
54 Maria Trujillo USA 1:15:08
59 Lorraine Masuoka USA 1:16:09
66 Renee Kruse USA 1:17:11
Teams - Men
1 KEN 2:59:54
2 RSA 3:03:34
3 ETH 3:03:46
4 ESP 3:05:35
5 ITA 3:06:00
6 JPN 3:06:37
7 ZIM 3:07:01
8 POR 3:07:22
9 COL 3:07:41
10 HUN 3:08:55
11 GER 3:09:31
12 FRA 3:09:33
13 SUi 3:09:54
14 BRA 3:10:24
15 BEL 3:11:12
24 USA 3:16:54
Teams - Women
1 ROM 3:27:40
2 KEN 3:27:57
3 JPN 3:31:38
4 RUS 3:31:45
5 GER 3:32:16
6 ESP 3:36:23
7 ETH 3:37:48
8 ITA 3:39:22
9 FRA 3:40:27
10 GBR 3:43:13
11 USA 3:43:20
12 BLR 3:43:51
13 UKR 3:45:00
14 SVK 3:52:32
