Kiwis finish well in Boston

Press, 19 April 1989, Page 35

Kiwis finish well in Boston

NZPA-Reuter Boston New Zealanders ran with distinction in the 93rd Boston marathon, with Marguerite Buist finishing second in the women’s event and John Campbell placed fifth and setting a world masters record. With a dazzling late burst of speed, Abebe Mekonnen, of Ethiopia, finally shook off his constant shadow, Juma Ikangaa, yesterday to win the men’s event. Mekonnen crossed the finish line in central Boston in 2hr 9min 6s, 48s ahead of Tanzania’s Ikangaa who was runner-up for the second consecutive year. "This is really one of the great victories in the world,” said Mekonnen, who said he was inspired by Sunday’s win in Rotterdam by his world record-holding compatriot, Belaneh Densimo.

Ireland’s John Treacy prevented an African sweep of the top three places by duplicating last year’s third place finish with a time of 2.T0.23. Kenya’s Ibrahim Hussein, who won last year’s race by one second, was fourth in 2:12.40.

The world record holder, Ingrid Kristiansen, of Norway, outclassed the women’s field with a comfortable 2:24.33 win. Mekonnen and Kristiansen each collected $U545,000 ($74,000) for winning the

world’s oldest annual marathon. Kristiansen, who had been training at high altitude in Boulder, Colorado, had said she would try to break the 2:20 mark. But temperatures of over 60 degrees (16C) and the steep hills over the second half of the 42.19 km course made a world record unlikely from the outset. Kristiansen ran nearly the entire race surrounded by men with none of her competitors in sight. “I was by myself the whole race. I saw no other women,” Kristiansen said. Buist finished second more than four minutes behind the Norwegian in 2:29.04. American Kim Jones was third in 2:29.34.

Joan Benoit Samuelson, the 1984 Olympic champion and course record holder, faded from second place at 20km and finished a disappointing ninth in 2:37.51. It was her first loss to Kristiansen in three races.

Mekonnen and Ikangaa pulled away from the pack of leaders that included Hussein and the early pace-setter, Salmon Robert Haali, of Tanzania, at the foot of the first of three steep climbs at 27km. For the next 13km a dramatic duel developed between the two as they ran shoulder-to-shoulder or on each other’s heels.

Results. — MEN 1. Abebe Mekonnen (Ethiopia) 2 hours 9 minutes 6 seconds. 2. Juma Ikangaa (Tanzania) 2:09.54. 3. John Treacy (Ireland) 2:10.23. 4. Ibrahim Hussein (Kenya) 2:12.40. 5. John Campbell (New Zealand) 2:14.19. 6. Simon Robert Haali (Tanzania) 2:14.59. 7. Gerardo Alcala (Mexico) 2:15.51. 8. Kunimitsu Itoh (Japan) 2:16.19. 9. Chala Wuresa (Ethiopia) 2:17.31. 10. Herb Wills (U.S.) 2:17.40. 11. Ryszard Marczak (Poland) 2:17.43. 12. David Harrison (New Zealand) 2:20.40. 13. George Karagiannis (Greece) 2:20.50. 14. Ivo Rodrigues (Brazil) 2:21.00. 15. Manuel Vera (Mexico) 2:21.44. WOMEN 1. Ingrid Kristiansen (Norway) 2:24.33. 2. Marguerite Buist (New Zealand) 2:29.04. 3. Kim Jones (U.S.) 2:29.34. 4. Eriko Asai (Japan) 2:33.04. 5. Lisa Weidenbach (U.S.) 2:33.18. 6. Lisa Welsh-Brady (U.S.) 2:34.16. 7. Priscilla Welch (Britain) 2:35.00. 8. Odette Lapierre (Canada) 2:35.51. 9. Joan Benoit Samuelson (U.S.) 2:37.51. 10. Laurie Binder (U.S.) 2:39.21. 11. Czeslawa Mentlewicz (Poland) 2:40.25. 12. Nancy Corsaro (U.S.) 2:41.13. .13. Angella Hearn (Britain) 2:41.39. 14. Lisa Kindelan (U.S.) 2:42.30. 15. Cindy New (Canada) 2:42.56.