Saturday, April 21^st 2007

20^th Belgrade Banca Intesa Marathon 2007
19^th Belgrade Banca Intesa Marathon 2006
18^th Belgrade Delta Sport Marathon 2006

The winners - Olivera Jevtić and John Maluni

The Serbian record holder made it to the finish line only because of the spectators and with their help, Kenyan slower than the course record only by 59 seconds

Olivera Jevtić and John Maluni, the winners of the 20th Belgrade BANCA INTESA Marathon, do have reasons to feel pleased although both of them failed to break the Belgrade Marathon course records, and consequently lost the maximal bonuses.

Maluni bettered his personal best by 1:27 (2:13,17) which he had set last year in Belgrade when he ranked fourth; he recorded his first major marathon victory and won 9.000 euros. In addition to that, his result is the second best result of the Belgrade course in the last twenty years...

Following four victories in the half marathon, Olivera Jevtić dedicated her eleventh marathon participation to the Belgraders and Belgrade, claiming that she had made it to the finish line only because of them and with their help. Her victory brought her 5.000 euros, a 2.500 euro “Delta Generali Osiguranje” bonus for the best time of a Serbian runner in the history of the Belgrade Marathon, and 140.000 rsd for the title of the Serbian Champion.
- As I was running past St Sava’s Church I said to myself that if I crossed the
finish line alive I would donate a part of my prize money to the fund for building of the church, and I stand by my word, - said Olivera Jevtić once her ordeal was over.
The old problem with the right leg muscle returned some ten days ago because of the cold weather, and difficulties were greater than she had anticipated on the optimistic start of the 42,195m race... Her problems began at the 5km mark and were triggered by the descent down Nemanjina St. Victor Sailer, photographer of the New York Road Runners Club, who was on a motorcycle, was to first to pass on this information.
- Olivera has a problem with her right leg…
In order to verify this information, we contacted her coach Slavko Kuzmanović, who was in the vehicle with the “clock“ showing the runners the time.
- Olivera had some difficulties, but she has picked up her pace. The whole group is doing fine.

The group included her club-mates from “Mladosti“ from Užice: Stamenić, Vukajlović and Milovanović, whose task was to guard her from the wind and help her keep up the pace in the first half of the race. Kenya’s Saina was to do the same in the second half of the race, and she was joined by the two-time Serbian marathon champion, Goran Čegar, and some time later by Sreten Ninković...
All the way to the 30km check point, when Иegar and Ninković quitted, and Vukajlović and Milovanović began to fall behind, Olivera Jevtić had a chance to break the course record of 2:29,44 set in 2001 by Romania’s Cristina Pomacu…
Then the moody weather changed once again. Wind began in New Belgrade and the Serbian record holder began to limp again. But she did not give up. She could not have done that, not with the thousands of spectators lined up by the course cheering…
She reached the finish after 2:35,46 hours, which is by far her worst result, and her face showed that the pain suffered during the race was unbearable.
Ten minutes later she was smiling again. She was happy. She had survived. She had won.
- This was Olivera’s most difficult race. Only two weeks ago we had been hoping for, being the most prepared than ever, not only the course record but the national record as well, but then all too familiar problems cropped up and – if the race hadn’t been in Belgrade – she surely would not have taken part, - said Slavko Kuzmanović, hoping that this effort will not force her to miss training for the World Championships in Osaka scheduled for this august...
The second and the third place in women’s competition went to Russia’s Oksana Kuzmicheva and Yelena Kozhevnikova respectively, but they never once threatened the winner. The congratulations should, next to Olivera Jevtić, go also to her “rabbits”, Nikola Stamenić and Danijel Vukajlović.
The two of them, also inspired by the cheering crowds, decided to finish the race, even though neither ran a marathon before and – Stamenić became the Serbian champion and Vukajlović vice-champion.
- I still cannot understand what happened. I have never experienced such support from the spectators, - said the Serbian marathon champion Nikola Stamenić, the disciple of Dragiša Kuzmanović...
The Belgraders received compliments from the winner in men’s competition John Maluni and his countrymen, the second-placed Nicholas Chelimo, whose 2:11,56 represent the third best result of the Belgrade Marathon, and the third-placed John Kioko, who, just as Maluni and Chelimo, achieved his personal best….
- Belgrade is beautiful. The people, the spectators… Incredible, - said the champion of the 20th Belgrade BANCA INTESA Marathon.

Jevtić: The Belgrade race is faster
than the Rotterdam race

“I have to admit that I’m overjoyed. I beat myself today. I suffered the unbearable pain since the very start. Fifteen days ago I run excellently in a trial 30km race and that gave me hope that I could break not only the course record but also my own national record. I spent four weeks in Kenya and the weather there was perfect. It was warm which suited me, and never before had I been so well “trained”. However, when I returned I was greeted by the cold weather which affected my blood count and muscle injury. At the 21km mark my result was 1:15 and then I thought to myself that, if I sped up, I just might break the record, but the pain wouldn’t pass. All the time I was contemplating dropping out and certainly I would have done that, had I run abroad. But the spectators kept me in the race and supported me to go on. Had I been fit, I would have broken the record, no doubts about that. The course is extraordinary. Having only run the half marathon in Belgrade so far, I was told that the course was difficult. That is not true. Belgrade has a course that is much easier and faster than the Rotterdam one. I started with a pace of 3:30 per kilometre, and if it hadn’t been for the health problems, I would have, with the help of my team mates, certainly set the new record,” – said Olivera Jevtić, the winner of the 20th Belgrade BANCA INTESA Marathon in the women’s competition.

Kuzmanović: Olivera’s hardest race

“This was Olivera’s eleventh marathon and not only the most difficult of the lot, but the hardest race in her career. She was really in pain. It lasted far too long, but she endured it because of the amazing spectators, Belgrade and excellent organisers of the Belgrade Marathon“, – said Slavko Kuzmanović, the coach of the winner of the 20^th Belgrade BANCA INTESA Marathon.

Kuzmincheva: I am overwhelmed

“I did not have a crisis. I am overwhelmed with the second place and my new personal best. I cannot wait to get back home and celebrate it with my husband Kostya and my five year old daughter Palyina“, said Oxana Kuzmincheva (Russia).

Maluni: I knew I would win

“As soon as I started to run I was certain I would win. My coach Cosmas Ndeti and I prepared brilliantly for this race. My coach is the three-time Boston Marathon winner and we believe that you will become a champion if you are trained by one. This is my third marathon and I once again managed to better my personal best“, said the winner of the men’s race of the 20^th Belgrade BANCA INTESA Marathon.

Chelimo: I was slowed down by the ascent

“At the (Brankov) bridge I was confident that I would win, however, the ascent before the last kilometer (Kneza Miloša St) suddenly slowed me down. I let Maluni catch up with me and until 200 metres before the finish line we run together. Unfortunately, I lost in the last metres. But I have plenty of time and I am very pleased with my new personal best and the second place,” said Nicholas Chelimo, the second-placed in the marathon.

Nikolić: Olivera marked the marathon

“Olivera Jevtić marked this marathon. She made a little, so to speak, heroic feat and in spite of all the problems completed the race. She demonstrated her true self once again. Such loyalty towards her supporters, towards Belgrade and us, the organisers, commands praise. I hope she wouldn’t suffer any health problems because of that”, said Dejan Nikolić, director of the Belgrade Marathon.

Kreclović: A picture to remember

“The Fun Run recorded one of the largest participation in the last few years and was a true support of the Belgraders to the Marathon. The schools and the City’s transport company did a good job, and the picture we witnessed and send out to the world will be remembered”, said Goran Kreclović, City Secretary for Sports and Youth.

Powell: A great day

“This was a great day. All of us truly enjoyed it – the spectators, the competitors and I”, said Mike Powell, the long jump world record holder and the promoter of the 20^th Belgrade BANCA INTESA Marathon.

Stamenić: None of this was planned

“The plan was to help Olivera in the first 25 kilometres and then to drop out, but the support of the spectators that one really needed to experience for one’s self, incited me to continue to run. I felt I could finish the race. I had a minor crisis at the 37th km, which is normal, as I had never run anything longer than half marathon. I made it to the finish and became a state champion. None of this was planned and I don’t contemplate dedicating myself to the marathon running. I am young and I can still achieve a lot in the shorter races,” said Nikola Stamenić (“Mladost”, Užice), the 2007 Serbian marathon champion.

Sowa: I’ll be even faster in 2008

“This is my first marathon race and I think that my time is good considering that we had no pace-maker and that we run all the time by ourselves. I believe I would come to Belgrade in 2008, and be even faster, maybe somewhere around 2:11 or 2:12. I am satisfied because I made the norm for the Osaka World Championships in my debut”, - said Poland’s Arkadiusz Sowa, the winner of the CISM Regional Championships held within the Belgrade BANCA INTESA Marathon.

Kimaiyo: Everything was just right

“Right after the start I went forth, the race was neither too fast nor too slow, just as the weather was neither too hot nor too cold. Everything was just right. The course is excellent. I entered the men’s group early on and thus secured a victory”, said Ogla Kimaiyo (Kenya), the winner of half marathon in the women’s competition.

Kodžo: One of the dearest victories

“I did not expect a victory, as I had been fairly exhausted, but I opted for a good tactics. I followed the pace of the best marathoners. At the 10th km the time was 30:35, and then I got the information that my rivals were far behind me. This is one of the dearest victories of my career”, said Đuro Kodžo (BIH), the winner of half marathon in the men’s competition.

The Belgrade BANCA INTESA Marathon’s Administrative Board Chairman, the famous Serbian basketball player Aleksandar Đorđević congratulated Olivera Jevtić on her yesterday’s victory in the most difficult athletic event and urged the young athletes to follow her example.
“With her attitude towards the marathon, Belgrade and Serbia, Olivera proved that she was not only a great athlete, but a great human being as well. Taking on the course, the results and her own problems, Olivera demonstrated how the greatness is achieved. That is why there is no surprise as to why she was elected the best Serbian athlete of the year and, on this occasion, I congratulate her on that as well”, said Đorđević to the Serbian news agency Tanjug.
The coach of the Italian first-league basketball team “Armani” from Milan commended the organisers of the event:
“I would like to thank everyone who took part in the Belgrade BANCA INTESA Marathon. All of them contributed in their own way that a fantastic image of Belgrade and Serbia travels the world. Not many sports events can boast such promoters as Carl Lewis, Merlene Ottey, Bob Beamon or Mike Powell. Their presence is a proof more of our openness and that is why I feel especially proud of the Belgraders and Serbia, who showed their big heart to the whole world”, said Đorđević (Tanjug).