O’Connor fails to match past London Marathon efforts

Press, 12 May 1987, Page 56

O’Connor fails to match past London Marathon efforts

NZPA-Reuter London Ingrid Kristiansen, of Norway, won her third London Marathon yesterday but was unable to maintain a blistering firsthalf pace and failed in her bid to become the first woman to crack the two hours 20 minutes barrier. Kristiansen, who set the women’s marathon standard of 2:21:06 in winning at London two years ago, was well inside world-best pace through the half-way mark of. the race run in sunny but windy conditions before slowing down to win in 2:22:48. New Zealand’s Mary O’Connor, who has suffered influenza in the month leading up to the classic London race, was unable to repeat her previous top placings, which include two seconds. She finished well down the field with a time of 2:46.

Hiromi Taniguchi, aged 27, became the second successive Japanese winner on the men’s side when he led the world’s largest marathon field of 22,000 starters across the finish in a personal best time of 2:0950.

Taniguchi, who three months ago won the Tokyo Marathon, repeated the success of his compatriot, Toshihiko Seko, last year by beating off the challenge of the runnerup, Nechardi El Mostafa, of Morocco. The Briton, Hugh Jones, the 1982 champion, came third. Kristiansen, aged 31, finished more than four minutes ahead of the second-placed Priscilla

Welch, aged 42, of Britain, but it was clear from the start that the Norwegian star was running chiefly against the clock. Surrounded by a protective circle of men runners, Kristiansen sped through the first 16 kilometres on a 2:16 pace, and was on course for a 2:19 timing when she hit the half-way mark. From there, however, the queen of distance runners faltered in her chase for $90,000 in bonuses and slowed considerably over the final stages. Afterwards, Kristiansen revealed that she had been suffering from an injury to her right leg for several days. “I tried to think positive but I felt I was getting a little tired,” said Kristiansen, the world record holder over both 5000 m and 10,000 m. “I will try again.” Welch dramatically snubbed Britain’s athletic selectors by announcing she did not want to compete in the world championships in Rome in September.

People ranging from top athletes to a man aged 82 turned the streets of London into a massive athletic track.

The largest number of competitors surged off from three start points, in Greenwich, to run the 26 miles 385 yards to the finish line on Westminster. Bridge.

For most of them it was a fun run, many aiming to raise money for charity, and runners appeared in colourful costumes, in-

eluding a gorilla, a cat, a clown, Robin Hood, Superman, Batman and Robin, Charlie Chaplin, a juggler, and the Michelin man. One man ran with a blown-up Prince Charles doll on his shoulders, while Eric Newton ran the entire race playing “When The Saints Go Marching In” on his clarinet — 400 times. The warm temperatures caused problems for an athletic witch: she had to keep taking off her hooked nose because she was getting too hot.

More than seven hours after the start, stragglers were still struggling across the finish line.

Many people were treated for exhaustion and sore limbs, but only five went to hospital, and none were in a serious condition. Leading placings: Men Hiromi Taniguchi (Japan) 2h 9min 50s, 1; Nechardi el Mostafa (Morocco) 2:10:09, 2; Hugh Jones (Britain) 2:10:1'1, 3; Gianni Poli (Italy) 2:10:15, 4; Geir Kvernmo (Norway) 2:10:17, 5; Mehmet Terzi (Turkey) 2:10:25, 6; Boguslav Psujek (Poland) 2:10:26, 7; Charlie Spedding, (Britain) 2:10:32, 8; David Edge (Canada) 2:11:51, 9; Jean Paumen (Belgium) 2:12:15, 10. Wonien Ingrid Kristiansen (Norway) 2:22:48, 1; Priscilla Welch (Britain) 2:26:51, 2; Veronique Marot (Britain) 2:30:15, 3; Paula Fudge (Britain) 2:32:28, 4; Karolina Szabo (Hungary) 2:32:48, 5; Misako Miyahara (Japan) 2:33:41, 6; Agnes Sipka (Hungary) 2:34:37, 7; Angela Paine (Britain) 2:34:47, 8; Sissel Grottenberg (Norway) 2:35:53, 9; Valentina Bottarelli (Italy) 2:35:57, 10.