The 1st IAAF World Road Running Championships were held in Debrecen

Debrecen

Debrecen , is the second largest city in Hungary after Budapest. Debrecen is the regional centre of the Northern Great Plain region and the seat of Hajdú-Bihar county.- Name :...

, Hungary

Hungary

Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...

 on 8 October 2006, the women's race starting at 11:00 and the men's race at 13:00. This was the first time the title of World Road Running Champion had been competed for, with this competition replacing the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships

IAAF World Half Marathon Championships

The IAAF World Half Marathon Championships is an annual half marathon competition organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It was contested from 1992 to 2005, and replaced by the IAAF World Road Running Championships, a 20 kilometres race which had its inaugural...

 in the international sporting calendar. Over 160 athletes from 42 nations took part in the two races.

As well as individual honours, there is also a team event where the times of the first three runners home from each country are added together to produce the team standings. Only nations with at least three competitors entered in the race are eligible for this competition.

The race was notable for having the first disabled athlete to take part in a world championship athletics event. Mark Brown

Mark Brown (athlete)

Mark Brown is a paralympic athlete from Great Britain competing mainly in category T46 long distance events.Mark competed at three Paralympics, the first in 1996 he combined the 5000m and marathon, winning s bronze medal in the T42-46 marathon event...

, who was competing for Gibraltar

Gibraltar

Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...

, lost his left arm in a traffic accident in 1981.

The course

The total race distace was 20 kilometres, and consisted of four laps around a 5000 metre course. The race started and finished in front of the main building of the University of Debrecen

University of Debrecen

The University of Debrecen is a university located in Debrecen, Hungary. It is the oldest continuously operating institution of higher education in Hungary .-History:...

 (pictured left) on the northern edge of the city, and travelled in a clockwise

Clockwise

Circular motion can occur in two possible directions. A clockwise motion is one that proceeds in the same direction as a clock's hands: from the top to the right, then down and then to the left, and back to the top...

 direction around nearby parkland.

The runners started on Egyetem Square, outside the University, before heading around the circular Nagyerdei Avenue. Most of the course followed Nagyerdei Avenue, with two detours onto the roads inside the circle, passing the thermal bath

Thermal bath

A thermal bath is a warm body of water. It is often referred to as a spa, which is traditionally used to mean a place where the water is believed to have special health-giving properties, though note that many spas offer cold water or mineral water treatments.A thermal bath may be part of a...

s and the Aquaticum Thermal & Wellness Hotel, before rounding the boating lake

Lake

A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...

, passing the Nagyerdõ Stadium and the Hunguest Nagyerdõ Hotel. The race then headed back to Egyetem Square to complete the lap.

Individual

Position	Competitor	Nationality	Time
1	Zersenay Tadese	ERI Eritrea Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...	56:01 (CR)
2	Robert Kipkorir Kipchumba	KEN Kenya Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...	56:41 (NR)
3	Wilson Kebenei Wilson Kebenei Wilson Kiprotich Kebenei is a Kenyan long-distance runner. He is a Nandi by ethnicity.He finished eighth at the 2004 World Half Marathon Championships. At the 2006 World Road Running Championships he finished third in the individual competition...	KEN Kenya Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...	57:15
4	Wilson Busienei Wilson Busienei Wilson Kipkemei Busienei is an Ugandan long-distance runner. He is best known for winning three gold medals at the 2005 Summer Universiade. He has represented his country at the World Championship level in cross country running and road running and on the track. He took part in the 2004 Summer...	UGA Uganda Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...	57:21 (NR)
5	Wilfred Taragon Wilfred Taragon Wilfred Kipkoech Taragon is a Kenyan long-distance runner.He finished seventh in 10,000 metres at the 2006 African Championships. At the 2006 World Road Running Championships he finished fifth in the individual competition...	KEN Kenya Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...	57:22
6	Deriba Merga	ETH Ethiopia Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...	57:27
7	Tadesse Woldegebrel	ETH Ethiopia Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...	57:27
8	Mubarak Hassan Shami Mubarak Hassan Shami Mubarak Hassan Shami is a Kenyan-born Qatari long-distance runner. He specializes in half marathon and marathon races.He won the Baringo Half Marathon, a race inaugurated by Paul Tergat, in 2005 and 2006, becoming the first runner to defend the title....	QAT Qatar Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...	57:33 (NR)
9	Dieudonne Disi Dieudonné Disi Dieudonné Disi is a Rwandan long-distance and cross country runner.In 2009 he competed in the marathon at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics, but pulled out at the 28 km mark due to an injury...	RWA Rwanda Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...	57:42 (NR)
10	Yonas Kifle Yonas Kifle Yonas Kifle is an Eritrean runner who specializes in the 10,000 metres, the half marathon and cross-country running. He was born in Adi Billai. He has represented Eritrea at the Olympics on three occasions; in 2000, 2004 and 2008...	ERI Eritrea Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...	57:49

Team

Position	Team	Competitors
1	Kenya Kenya Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...	Robert Kipkorir Kipchumba (2nd) Wilson Kebenei Wilson Kebenei Wilson Kiprotich Kebenei is a Kenyan long-distance runner. He is a Nandi by ethnicity.He finished eighth at the 2004 World Half Marathon Championships. At the 2006 World Road Running Championships he finished third in the individual competition...  (3rd) Wilfred Taragon Wilfred Taragon Wilfred Kipkoech Taragon is a Kenyan long-distance runner.He finished seventh in 10,000 metres at the 2006 African Championships. At the 2006 World Road Running Championships he finished fifth in the individual competition...  (5th)
2	Eritrea Eritrea Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...	Zersenay Tadese (1st) Yonas Kifle Yonas Kifle Yonas Kifle is an Eritrean runner who specializes in the 10,000 metres, the half marathon and cross-country running. He was born in Adi Billai. He has represented Eritrea at the Olympics on three occasions; in 2000, 2004 and 2008...  (10th) Tesfayohannes Mesfen Tesfayohannes Mesfen Tesfayohannes Mesfen is an Eritrean runner who specializes in the half marathon and cross-country running.-Achievements:-Personal bests:*5000 metres - 13:27.06 min *10,000 metres - 28:19.88 min...  (21st)
3	Ethiopia Ethiopia Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...	Deriba Merga (6th) Tadesse Woldegebrel (7th) Demssew Abebe (20th)
4	Qatar Qatar Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...	Mubarak Hassan Shami Mubarak Hassan Shami Mubarak Hassan Shami is a Kenyan-born Qatari long-distance runner. He specializes in half marathon and marathon races.He won the Baringo Half Marathon, a race inaugurated by Paul Tergat, in 2005 and 2006, becoming the first runner to defend the title....  (8th) Essa Ismail Rashed Essa Ismail Rashed Essa Ismail Rashed is a long-distance runner now representing Qatar after his switch from Kenya in 2004...  (14th) Gamal Belal Salem Gamal Belal Salem Gamal Belal Salem is a Qatari runner who specializes in the 3000 metres steeplechase, training with the world record holder Saaeed Shaheen under the Italian coach Renato Canova....  (16th)
5	Uganda Uganda Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...	Wilson Busienei Wilson Busienei Wilson Kipkemei Busienei is an Ugandan long-distance runner. He is best known for winning three gold medals at the 2005 Summer Universiade. He has represented his country at the World Championship level in cross country running and road running and on the track. He took part in the 2004 Summer...  (4th) Martin Toroitich Martin Toroitich Martin Kitiyo Toroitich is a Ugandan long-distance runner who specializes in the half marathon.His younger brother Boniface Kiprop Toroitich is a successful Ugandan runner.-Achievements:-Personal bests:...  (13th) James Kibet (24th)

Individual

Position	Competitor	Nationality	Time
1	Lornah Kiplagat Lornah Kiplagat Lornah Kiplagat is a Dutch long-distance runner. She was born in Kabiemit, Rift Valley Province, Kenya and came to the Netherlands in 1999. She gained Dutch citizenship in 2003 and has competed for the Netherlands since...	NED Netherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...	1:03:21 (WR)
2	Constantina Tomescu Constantina Tomescu Constantina Diţă , is a Romanian long-distance runner, who specializes mainly in the half marathon and marathon....	ROM Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...	1:03:23 (NR)
3	Rita Jeptoo Rita Jeptoo Rita Jeptoo Sitienei is a Kenyan marathon runner. She won the 2006 Boston Marathon, setting her personal best of 2:23:38 hours. She has also won marathons in Stockholm and Milan, as well as having represented Kenya in the event at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics...	KEN Kenya Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...	1:03:47 (AR)
4	Dire Tune Dire Tune Dire Tune is an Ethiopian long-distance runner.Tune competed in the marathon at the 2005 World Championships. At the 2006 World Road Running Championships she finished fourth in the individual competition. This was good enough to help Ethiopia win a silver medal in the team competition.On April 21,...	ETH Ethiopia Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...	1:05:16 (NR)
5	Edith Masai Edith Masai Edith Chewangel Masai is a Kenyan former long-distance runner who specialised in cross country and track races, then road races in her late career. She represented Kenya at the 2004 Summer Olympics.. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2011-11-07...	KEN Kenya Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...	1:05:21
6	Kayoko Fukushi Kayoko Fukushi is a Japanese long-distance runner who specializes in the 5000 and 10,000 metres. Fukushi represented Japan at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics....	JPN Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...	1:05:32 (NR)
7	Yurika Nakamura Yurika Nakamura is a Japanese long-distance runner. Nakamura grew up in the Hyōgo Prefecture.She finished seventh at the 2006 World Road Running Championships, helping the Japanese team win the bronze medal in the team competition. In 2008, she won the Nagoya Marathon in her marathon debut. In the 2008 Summer...	JPN Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...	1:05:36
8	Nataliya Berkut Nataliya Berkut Nataliya Berkut is a Ukrainian long-distance runner.She finished seventh at the 2006 World Road Running Championships. On the track she competed in 10,000 metres at the World Championships in 2001 and 2003...	UKR Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...	1:05:42
9	Souad Aït Salem Souad Aït Salem Souad Aït Salem is an Algerian long-distance runner who specializes mainly in the half marathon and marathon. She was born in Mecheria. She won gold in the 10,000 metres at the 2000 African Championships in Athletics and the 2005 Mediterranean Games. Salem also won the gold in the half marathon at...	ALG Algeria Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...	1:06:11
10	Teyba Erkesso Teyba Erkesso Teyba Erkesso Wako is an Ethiopian runner who specializes in road running as well as cross-country running....	ETH Ethiopia Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...	1:06:15

Team

Position	Team	Competitors
1	Kenya Kenya Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...	Rita Jeptoo Rita Jeptoo Rita Jeptoo Sitienei is a Kenyan marathon runner. She won the 2006 Boston Marathon, setting her personal best of 2:23:38 hours. She has also won marathons in Stockholm and Milan, as well as having represented Kenya in the event at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics...  (3rd) Edith Masai Edith Masai Edith Chewangel Masai is a Kenyan former long-distance runner who specialised in cross country and track races, then road races in her late career. She represented Kenya at the 2004 Summer Olympics.. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2011-11-07...  (5th) Eunice Jepkorir Eunice Jepkorir Eunice Jepkorir is a Kenyan long-distance runner and a 2008 Olympic silver-medalist.She is from Eldama Ravine. Her parents are farmers and she has eight siblings . She started serious running at the age of 15 while at high school...  (14th)
2	Ethiopia Ethiopia Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...	Dire Arissi (4th) Teyba Erkesso Teyba Erkesso Teyba Erkesso Wako is an Ethiopian runner who specializes in road running as well as cross-country running....  (10th) Ashu Rabo Ashu Rabo Ashu Kasim Rabo is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who specialises in the half marathon and marathon events.She competed at the 2003 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Vilamoura, Portugal and finished in 47th place...  (17th)
3	Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...	Kayoko Fukushi Kayoko Fukushi is a Japanese long-distance runner who specializes in the 5000 and 10,000 metres. Fukushi represented Japan at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics....  (6th) Yurika Nakamura Yurika Nakamura is a Japanese long-distance runner. Nakamura grew up in the Hyōgo Prefecture.She finished seventh at the 2006 World Road Running Championships, helping the Japanese team win the bronze medal in the team competition. In 2008, she won the Nagoya Marathon in her marathon debut. In the 2008 Summer...  (7th) Ryoko Kizaki Ryoko Kizaki Ryoko Kizaki is a Japanese long-distance runner who competes in marathon and half marathon races. She won the 2011 Yokohama Women's Marathon in a personal best time of 2:26:32 hours...  (19th)
4	Romania Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...	Constantina Tomescu Constantina Tomescu Constantina Diţă , is a Romanian long-distance runner, who specializes mainly in the half marathon and marathon....  (2nd) Luminiţa Talpoş Luminiţa Talpoş Luminiţa Talpoş is a female long-distance runner from Romania, who specialized in the marathon race during her career. She set her personal best in the women's marathon at the Vienna City Marathon on April 27, 2008.-Achievements:-References:*...  (16th) Lidia Simon Lidia Simon Lidia Slavuteanu-Simon is a Romanian long-distance runner. She has represented Romania on four consecutive occasions at Olympic level and is a six-time participant at the World Championships in Athletics....  (28th)
5	Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...	Gulnara Vygovskaya Gulnara Vygovskaya Gulnara Vygovskaya is a Russian long-distance runner who specializes in marathon races.She finished twelfth at the 2006 World Road Running Championships, helping the Russian team take a fifth place in the team competition....  (12th) Natalya Kurbatova Natalya Kurbatova Natalya Kurbatova is a Russian long-distance runner who specializes in marathon races.She finished thirteenth at the 2006 World Road Running Championships, helping the Russian team take a fifth place in the team competition....  (13th) Irina Timofeyeva Irina Timofeyeva Irina Nikolayevna Timofeyeva is a Russian long-distance runner who specializes in running the marathon. She won the Singapore Marathon in 2005 and the Paris Marathon in 2006. She ran for Russia at the 2008 Summer Olympics, placing 7th in the marathon race... (15th)

External links

• IAAF World Road Running Championships - Debrecen 2006 - History
• debrecen2006.hu, website of the race organisers