1999 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships
The 8th World Half Marathon Championships (official IAAF World Half Marathon Championships ) were held on 3 October 1999 in the Italian city of Palermo. The track was a three times by running, demanding circuit through the historic center of Palermo, starting and finishing at the Foro Italico.
In tactical dominated the men's race, in which the first eight target reached in a time interval of only 6 seconds, there was a dramatic finale. The former world record holder Paul Tergat of Kenya has been hampered in the past few hundred meters on his final sprint by an official inadvertently. However Tergat could prevent a fall and won with a stride ahead of the same time South African Hendrick Ramaala, who finished second the previous year. One second behind followed Jifar Tesfaye from Ethiopia. Similarly close the team standings fell out ( adding the times of the three fastest runners in a country). South Africa won by just two seconds ahead. Behind Ethiopia and Kenya had the same total time. Because of the three seconds faster third scoring runner won Ethiopia the second place ahead of Kenya.
Less spectacular was the women's race. The Kenyan Tegla Loroupe ran safely to their third World Cup victory in a row. By far, followed Mizuki Noguchi of Japan and Catherine Ndereba of Kenya. The decision in the team standings fell out clearly. Joyce Chepchumba at number four completed the outstanding Kenyan team performance and secured their country 's victory against Japan and Russia.
Results
Individual ranking men
Of 134 reported 119 athletes took to the start and reached the goal of 109. Participants from German speaking countries: Place 53: Sebastian Bürklein Germany GER, 1:05:21 h; Course 70: Christian Fischer Germany GER, 1:06:54 h; Course 80: Oliver Mintzlaff Germany GER, 1:07:42 h; Course 86: Michael Fietz Germany GER, 1:08:33 h
Team standings Men
A total of 22 teams counted. Germany was ranked 17 in 3:19:57 h
Individual ranking women
75 reported 73 athletes went to the start and reached the goal of 67. The original fourth-placed Romanian Florina Pana, however, was disqualified for doping. Participants from German-speaking countries were not at the start.
Team ranking women
A total of 12 teams counted. Because of the disqualification Florina Romania Panas slipped in the rankings from the third to fourth place.