Last update - 00:00 11/01/2008
Former Bahraini national Mucheru wins Tiberias race in record time
By Ori Lewis, Haaretz Correspondent
Leonard Mucheru of Kenya won the Tiberias Marathon Thursday with a record time of two hours 10 minutes 30 seconds, beating the previous course record by more than two minutes. Mucheru successfully defended the title he won last year when he competed as a Bahraini national with the adopted name Mushir Salem Jawher.
Bahrain, which has no diplomatic ties with the Jewish state, last year stripped their runner of his adopted nationality days after discovering that Mucheru had competed in Israel.
He regained his Kenyan nationality in October. Running as a Bahraini in the 2006 Asian Games in Qatar, Mucheru, who specializes in middle- and long-distance races, won a silver medal in the 5,000 meters. He was the only Bahraini medalist at the event.
Mucheru's record winning time yesterday earned him 40,000 euros. The previous best time for the event, 2:12:45, was set by Ethiopian Mogas Taye in 2003.
The run around the picturesque southern shores of the Kinneret, which descends to about 200 meters below sea level, is billed as the lowest marathon in the world.
Haaretz Sports Staff adds: There was no rain, but it was very windy, which made running conditions ideal, according to participant Daniel Rose of Modi'in. Rose noted that he beat his personal best with a time of 3:36:30, while two of his friends ran their best times ever.
The race was also remarkable for its diversity of participants. Rose said he heard a lot of English being spoken and saw a sizable contingent from the Beit Shemesh running club.
"It's fascinating how the marathon brings together a cross section of Israeli society," Rose remarked. "That contributed to a wonderful atmosphere, where people who wouldn't normally interact with each other felt a strong bond of comraderie."