Los ANGELES, California – Aside from the NBA conference championships and the exploits of the Los Angeles Dodgers, featuring the suspension of home run artist Manny Ramirez, making news in this town is the surprise victory of the unorthodox Kenyan runner Wesley Korir in the Los Angeles Marathon Unorthodox because, as pointed out in previous columns, Kenyan runners have long had a stranglehold on the marathon because of, among other things, high altitude training and diet.
Not Korir, according to Los Angeles Times’ sports journalist Ben Bolch who says that “the Kenyan distance runner stereotypes don’t apply to Korir.”
The Kenyan won the highly competitive LA Marathon last Monday, Memorial Day, in a record time of 2 hours 8 minutes 24 seconds. Korir, according to Bolch, “trains at low altitudes, has mostly run five kilometers and enjoys Subway tuna sandwiches before races and can’t finish a foot-long (hot dog).
“It was an outstanding display for Korir who was competing only in his second marathon made even sweeter by the fact that he broke Benson Cherono’s 2006 race record of 2:08:40 and logged the fastest time ever for a 26.2-mile run in California.
For his victory, the former University of Louisville (Kentucky) track star, went home with a 2009 Honda Accord XL and $160,000 ($20,000 for winning; $40,000 for clocking under 2:09 and $100,000 for becoming the first runner – male or female – to finish. Bolch reported that the men started 16:57 behind the women in an effort to level the playing field.
Tatiana Petrova of Russia won the women’s race in 2 hours 25 minutes 29 seconds, the third fastest in race history. Korir overtook Petrova in the 24th mile on his way to capturing the top prize.
According to the LA Times, the LA Marathon is typically run on the first Sunday in March but was pushed back to Memorial Day as “City Hall officials bowed to pressure from religious leaders concerned that access to churches would be hindered by streets clogged with runners.
“The report said Korir grew up in poverty in a Kenyan village but always dreamed of going to college. He couldn’t afford to go to school in Kenya, where there are no athletic scholarships. “You either run professionally or go to school,” Korir said.
He therefore ended up in Louisville.
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In boxing, Shane Mosely’s desire, some say, obsession, to fight Manny Pacquiao, seems to be the result of the latter’s feeling of not being given the attention and recognition he deserves as a member of the so-called big-fight club. Sports columnist Bill Dwyre of the LA Times says that “at the moment, Mosley is the odd man out. He has much to offer, but he is like a screenwriter, shopping the studios.”
Mosley, four-time world champion, was quoted to have said, “I don’t hear my name being called,” obviously in reference to his not being in the picture in the mega-fights that Pacquiao, Oscar de la Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather Jr. have been part of in the last 16 months.
The feeling of frustration is understandable since three months ago Mosley beat the favored Antonio Margarito in impressive fashion at the Staples Center in LA at 147 pounds before a huge crowd. Before that bout, Mosley defeated De la Hoya twice but, according to Dwyre, had also lost enough to become a journeyman in some minds.
Clearly, Mosley wants to reclaim lost glory. Dwyre quotes Mosley, “Ten years ago, I was listed among the top 10 pound-for-pound fighters. I want to get back there.
“Back in Canada, where we were a few days ago, both the Alberta provincial paper, The Province.Com, and Mayweather Jr. don’t think too much of the latter’s next opponent, Juan Manuel Marquez, in a non-title bout at 147 pounds (welterweight) on July 18 in Las Vegas.
Starting with the revealing headline, “Mayweather to pad resume,” the paper continues to say that “already accepted as one of the greatest boxers of any era, (Mayweather Jr) has decided to come out of retirement for a third time to add gloss to his glittering career.”
According to TheProvince.Com, Mayweather Jr. stated in a press conference in LA several days ago that, “I’m trying to put extras on my mark in the Hall of Fame. I’m not here to rate myself.”