Iliass Aouani comes close to podium finish in Barcelona

Marathon, resumes

At the foot of the podium, less than a minute off the personal best. There’è fourth place for Iliass Aouani at the Barcelona Marathon with a time of 2h08:05. Two weeks after retiring from Osaka, the 28-year-old from Milan signs his second career result. A year ago, in the same event but on a different track, with 2h07:16 he had set the Italian record then recently beaten by Yeman Crippa in 2h06:06 in Seville on February 18. L’azzurro for much of the race travels at a pace that is not only è in line with his own limit, but also with the national record, running at the head of the second group.

Remarkable time of 1h02:54 at the half to continue with 1h29:53 at the 30th kilometer and fifth place, recovering positions. Until the 35° km è still in front of the record time table with 1h45:18 forò from here on he is alone in fourth place, with no immediate landmarks. Here are all the intermediate times: 15:00 (5 km), 29:51 (10 km), 44:52 (15 km), 59:42 (20 km), 1h02:54 (half marathon), 1h14:33 (25 km), 1h29:53 (30 km), 1h45:18 (35 km), 2h00:55 (40 km).

However, the Blue Flames bearer manages to redeem himself from the February 25 stop in Japan where he stopped at the 31st kilometer, also due to a fall. Right now Aouani è fourth in the Italian rankings for the year, behind Yeman Crippa (2h06:06), Eyob Faniel (2h07:09) and Daniele Meucci (2h07:49) who improved in Seville, while in December Nekagenet Crippa ran 2h07:35 in Valencia. The Barcelona Marathon closed with the success of Swiss Tadesse Abraham who at 41 rewrote his national record in 2h05:01 ahead of Kenyans Collins Kipkirui Kipkorir (2h06:44) and Edmond Kipngetich (2h07:21), fifth the Eritrean Berhane Tesfay in 2h10:19. Among women è the podium was all Ethiopian: Degitu Azimeraw (2h19:52) won, ahead of Shuko Genemo (2h21:35) and Meseret Dinke (2h22:58).