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27
10
2010

Seit 1896 haben auf der klassischen Strecke mit dem 28. Athens Classic Marathon 2010 am Sonntag insgesamt 83 Marathonläufe für Männer und davon erst 39 Läufe auch für Frauen stattgefunden

2500 Jahre Marathon – Wo der Marathon zu Hause ist – Dr. David E. Martin, PhD, FACSM, ATFS, AIMS in Distance Running

By GRR 0

Es hieße wohl "Eulen nach Athen zu tragen" heute Marathonläufern zu erklären, wo und wie der MARATHON entstanden ist. Vor 2500 Jahren fand die Schlacht von Marathon statt – und die Legende erzählt vom Sieg der Athener über die Perser – mit dem anschließenden  Lauf eines Kriegers von Marathon nach Athen, um den Sieg zu verkünden – und danach zu sterben.

Am Wochenende wird in Athen und in Marathon das 2500-jährige Jubiläum festlich begangen mit dem Höhepunkt des 28. Athens Classic Marathon am Sonntag – von Marathon nach Athen. Erst spät haben die Griechen erkannt,  welches "Juwel" sie mit dem historischen Streckenverlauf von Marathon nach Athen in den Händen haben. Man sieht es an der Zählung des 28. Athens Classic Marathon – seit 1974 gibt es diesen Art "Volkslauf" – am Anfang mehr schlecht als recht, denn dieser Lauf fand im chaotischen laufenden Verkehr statt – und war meistens nicht besonders gut organisiert. 

Erst seitdem die Straßen von Marathon nach Athen, durch die Olympischen Spiele 2004, hervorragend ausgebaut wurden, fand der Athens Classic Marathon auch internationale Beachtung. Anzumerken sei, daß die Strecke nicht einfach zu belaufen ist, da sie sehr hügelig ist – und die Zuschauer, zumindest bis nach Athen, sich stark in Grenzen halten, der Marathon-Enthusiasmus, wie in Deutschland oder anderswo, ist in Griechenand noch nicht angekommen.

Dr. David Martin/USA, hier auf der GRR-website schon oft vorgestellt als Statistiker von AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races) hat im folgenden eine bisher einmalige Statistik vorgestellt, die alle Läufe von Marathon nach Athen erfasst. Er hat den Versuch unternommen alle Läufe zu recherchieren, die auf der historischen Strecke veranstaltet wurden,  angefangen von Olympischen Spielen bis zur Weltmeisterschaft, Europameisterschaft, Welt-Cup, Balkanspiele und Mittelmeerspiele.

Seit 1896 haben auf der klassischen Strecke  mit dem 28. Athens Classic Marathon 2010 am Sonntag insgesamt 83 Marathonläufe für Männer und davon erst 39 Läufe auch für Frauen stattgefunden. Die Streckenrekordler sind die Olympiasieger von 2004 Stefano Baldini (ITA) in 2:10:55 und Mizuki Noguchi (JPN) mit 2:26:20.

Mit Jürgen Busch (GDR) stellt Deutschland auch einen Sieger mit 2:20:40 am 6. April 1967.

Lesen Sie weitere Einzelheiten im folgenden Originaltext von Dr. David Martin.

Horst Milde

 

Anyone interested in distance running knows about the legendary run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides in 490BC, from the battlefield on the plain of Marathon to Athens, to inform the king of victory over the Persians. Just as familiar is the celebration of that event, beginning in 1896, by the inclusion of a long distance race, around 40km in length and along a route that might have been used by Pheidippides, as a part of the competitive program of the first modern Olympic Games. And so, while the marathon run as a competitive sporting event has a 114-year history, the conceptualization of the event dates back 2500 years.

But just how many competitive marathon races have been held using this so-called "Classical" marathon route? It would be fascinating indeed to see a "Roster of Winners" – men and women – for this most historic of courses. The author has searched far and wide for such a tabulation, without success. So accompanying this article is an attempt, after untold dozens of hours of searching, to produce such a list (Table One), and thus honor those who have followed successfully in the footsteps of Pheidippides by being victorious over the route. If the list is complete then the 2010 edition of the Athens Classical Marathon will be the 83rd edition for the men and the 39th edition for the women.

Several organizers have attempted over the years to create an annual competitive race using the traditional Marathon-to-Athens course, both in the spring (April) and in the fall (October-November), but none have been long-lasting. Also, various international athletics organizations have chosen Athens as a competitive venue, using the established route for their marathon race. In fact, no other marathon course on the planet has been honored by so many such groups: the Balkan Games, the European Athletics Championships, the Mediterranean Games, the Olympic Games, and several events organized by the IAAF have all taken place on the "classical" route, which has changed very little from that used in 1896.

The first 10km are essentially level, along the sea past the villages of Nea Makri, Mati ,and Raffina. Following this is a steadily increasing climb of more than 200m through the Athenian hills between 10-31 km, passing through the villages of Pikermi and Pallini. Cresting the hills near Stavros, the remaining 10km are a steady downhill run through Agia Paraskevi and Holagos, entering Athens and finishing in the ancient Panathenaikon stadium.

The Marathon-to-Athens course is considered by athletics coaches, athletes, and statisticians as the most difficult championship-quality course in existence. When the list of winners is examined, some fascinating observations result. The men represent 30 nations, the women 16. Nine nations have produc winners from both sexes (ETH, GBR, GRE, JPN, NED, RUS, SUI, and USA). Greek men have won at Athens more times (12) than any other nation, with Kenyan men (nine) being runner-up.

Kenyan men have won eight of the last 12 editions. There has been only one fourtime winner, namely the Greek Nikolaos Pollias; he won in 1993, 1995, 1999, and 2000. There are two three-time winners: the Greek Teofanis Tsimingatos (1974, 1975, and 1977) and the Croatian Franjo Skrinjar (1953, 1957, and 1960).

Both men's and women's course records were set at the 2004 Olympic Games: 2:10:55 by Italy's Stefano Baldini and 2:26:20 by Japan's Mizuki Noguchi. Only one Olympic champion has subsequently won at Athens (Abebe Bikila in 1961), although Baldini and Spiridon Louis became Olympic champions by their victories at Athens. Portugal's Rosa Mota is the only Athens winner (1982) who subsequently went on to become Olympic champion (1988).

Only one reigning world record holder has managed to win at Athens (Bikila in 1961), although Leonard ("Buddy") Edelen in 1963 achieved the almost unimaginable feat of a course record at Athens (2:23:06.8) on 19 May and then delivering a world record 2:14:28 at Chiswick (GBR) on 15 June. Only 22 of the 83 winning men's times have been faster than the 2:20 mark, while only two of the 38 winning women's times have bettered 2:30.

Table Two lists the all-time fastest ten times over the course for each sex.

 

 

WINNERS ON THE ATHENS MARATHON COURSE

 

RACEDATE

NAME OF EVENT

ATHLETE

NAT

BIRTHDATE

TIME

MEN

         

10-Mar-1896

Pan-Hellenic Sports Celebration

Kharilaos Vasilakos

GRE

1871

3:18:00

25-Mar-1896

Olympic Trials

Ioannis Lavrentis

GRE

 

3:11:23

10-Apr-1896

Modern Olympic Games Marathon

Spiridon Louis

GRE

12-Jan-1873

2:58:50

19-Mar-1906

Mid-Olympiad Qualification

Anastassios Koutoulakis

GRE

 

3:12:31.2

10-Apr-1906

Intercalated Games Marathon

William Sherring

CAN

19-Sep-1878

2:51:23.6

29-Sep-1929

Unofficial Balkan Championships

Christov Sarras

GRE

 

3:12:31.2

12-Oct-1930

Balkan Championships

Nicolae Ilie

ROM

 

3:14:04.6

11-Oct-1931

Balkan Championships

ChristovSarras

GRE

 

3:11:20.6

15-Oct-1932

Balkan Championships

Ludovic Gall

ROM

10-Jan-1900

3:20:41

08-Oct-1933

Balkan Championships

Ludovic Gall

ROM

10-Jan-1900

3:02:41

06-Oct-1936

Balkan Championships

Stylianos Kyriakidis

GRE

04-May-1910

2:49:10

08-Oct-1939

Balkan Championships

Stylianos Kyriakidis

GRE

04-May-1910

2:52:07

29-Jun-1953

Balkan Championships

Franjo Skrinjar

CRO

17-May-1920

3:09:54.6

02-Oct-1955

SEGAS International Marathon

Veikko Karvonen

FIN

05-Jan-1926

2:27:30

01-Sep-1957

Balkan Championships

Franjo Skrinjar

CRO

17-May-1920

2:41:37

06-Oct-1957

SEGAS International Marathon

Franjo Mihalic

YUG

09-Mar-1921

2:26:27.8

25-Oct-1959

SEGAS International Marathon

Eino Oksanen

FIN

07-May-1931

2:26:30

25-Sep-1960

Balkan Championships

Franjo Skrinjar

CRO

17-May-1920

2:33:16.6

07-May-1961

Marathon to Athens

Abebe Bikila

ETH

07-Aug-1932

02:23:45

19-May-1963

Marathon to Athens

Leonard Edelen

USA

22-Sep-1937

2:23:06.8

21-May-1965

Marathon to Athens

JozsefSuto

HUN

09-Sep-1937

2:30:41

09-Sep-1965

Balkan Games Marathon

Ivailo Charankov

BUL

18-Nov-1933

2:39:50

06-Apr-1967

SEGAS International Marathon

Juergen Busch

GDR

24-Dec-1942

2:20:40

08-Sep-1968

Balkan Games Marathon

Ismail Akcay

TUR

09-Jul-1942

2:21:55

06-Apr-1969

Marathon to Athens

WilliamAdcocks

GBR

11-Nov-1941

2:11:07.2

21-Sep-1969

European Athletics Championships

Ronald Hill

GBR

25-Sep-1938

2:16:47.8

06-Apr-1970

Marathon to Athens

Ismail Akcay

TUR

09-Jul-1942

2:25:31

06-Apr-1971

SEGAS International Marathon

Akio Usami

JPN

31-May-1943

2:19:25

06-Apr-1973

SEGAS International Marathon

Colin Kirkham

GBR

30-Oct-1944

2:16:45.4

26-Aug-1973

Balkan Championships

Hussein Aktas

TUR

25-Mar-1941

2:30:34.6

06-Apr-1974

SEGAS International Marathon

Ian Thompson

GBR

16-Oct-1949

2:13:50.2

19-Oct-1974

Athens Classic Marathon

Teofanis Tsimingatos

GRE

17-Nov-1947

2:29:31

06-Apr-1975

SEGAS International Marathon

Yuriy Laptyev

URS

05-Dec-1948

2:25:27

18-Oct-1975

Athens Classic Marathon

Teofanis Tsimingatos

GRE

17-Nov-1947

2:35:39

06-Apr-1976

Marathon to Athens

Damian Mircea

ROM

 

2:27:33

10-Oct-1976

Athens Classic Marathon

Edgar Friedli

SUI

28-Oct-1933

2:33:50

06-Apr-1977

Marathon to Athens

Teofanis Tsimingatos

GRE

17-Nov-1947

2:39:36.4

17-Oct-1977

Athens Classic Marathon

Kebede Balcha

ETH

07-Sep-1951

2:14:40.8

06-Apr-1978

Marathon to Athens

Nikolay Penzin

KZK

20-Sep-1950

2:21:40

09-Oct-1978

Athens Classic Marathon

Daniel Flynn

AUS

 

2:27:22

06-Apr-1979

SEGAS International Marathon

Veli Balli

TUR

10-Dec-1949

2:28:04.4

13-Aug-1979

Balkan Championships

Mikhail Koussis

GRE

10-Oct-1953

2:21:20

03-Apr-1980

Marathon to Athens

Vladimir Pontokov

RUS

 

2:20:52

11-Oct-1980

Athens Classic Marathon

Jean-Paul Didime

FRA

26-Nov-1949

2:34:32

20-Oct-1981

Athens Classic Marathon

Yiannis Kouros

GRE

12-Feb-1956

2:32:50

07-Mar-1982

IAAF Golden Marathon

Rodolfo Gomez

MEX

30-Oct-1950

2:11:49

12-Sep-1982

European Athletics Championships

Gerard Nijboer

NED

18-Aug-1955

2:15:16

15-Oct-1982

Athens Classic Marathon

Richard Callison

USA

23-May-1954

2:27:29

09-Oct-1983

Athens Classic Marathon

Martin McCarthy

GBR

07-May-1957

2:25:34

26-Sep-1984

Balkan Games Marathon

Mehmet Terzi

TUR

05-May-1955

2:21:30

14-Oct-1984

Athens Classic Marathon

Leon Swanepoel

RSA

 

2:28:53

13-Oct-1985

Athens Classic Marathon

Michael Hill

SWE

 

3:04:30

06-Apr-1986

Spiridon Louis Memorial Marathon

Daniel Duhamel

FRA

 

2:25:58

12-Oct-1986

Athens Classic Marathon

Jos Vander Water

BEL

 

2:27:22

11-Oct-1987

Athens Classic Marathon

Kevin Flanegan

RSA

 

2:25:14

23-Oct-1988

Athens Classic Marathon

Fyodor Ryzhov

RUS

07-Mar-1960

2:17:33

22-Oct-1989

Athens Classic Marathon

Jan Rijthoven

NED

 

2:23:19

21-Oct-1990

Athens Classic Marathon

Johan-Olof Enholm

SWE

 

2:26:33

09-Jul-1991

Mediterranean Games Marathon

Salah Qoquaiche

MAR

 

2:20:26

13-Oct-1991

Athens Classic Marathon

Theodoros Fotopoulos

GRE

 

2:28:18

18-Oct-1992

Athens Classic Marathon

Christos Dumas

GRE

 

2:31:15

24-Oct-1993

Athens Classic Marathon

Nikolaos Pollias

GRE

28-Mar-1971

2:28:12

30-Oct-1994

Athens Classic Marathon

Christos Dumas

GRE

 

2:27:27

09-Apr-1995

IAAF World Marathon Cup

Douglas Wakiihuri

KEN

26-Sep-1963

2:12:01

05-Nov-1995

Athens Classic Marathon

Nikolaos Pollias

GRE

28-Mar-1971

2:27:27

06-Apr-1996

Athens Classic Marathon

Garry Henry

AUS

17-May-1953

2:24:06

20-Oct-1996

Athens Classic Marathon

Nikitas Markakis

GRE

 

2:33:15

10-Aug-1997

IAAF World Athletics Championships

Abel Anton

ESP

24-Oct-1962

2:13:16

26-Oct-1997

Gregoris Lambrakis Marathon

Gerasimos Kokotos

GRE

 

2:31:47

01-Nov-1998

Athens Classic Marathon

Nikolaos Pollias

GRE

28-Mar-1971

2:18:38

17-Oct-1999

Athens Peace International Marathon

Masato Yonehara

JPN

1977

2:18:35

05-Nov-2000

Athens Classic Marathon

Nikolaos Pollias

GRE

28-Mar-1971

2:20:50

04-Nov-2001

Athens Classic Marathon

Noah Bor

KEN

28-Jul-1977

2:19:26

03-Nov-2002

Athens Classic Marathon

Mark Saina

KEN

10-Nov-1970

2:18:20

02-Nov-2003

Athens Classic Marathon

Zebedayo Bayo

TAN

20-May-1976

2:16:59

29-Aug-2004

Modern Olympic Games Marathon

Stefano Baldini

ITA

25-May-1971

2:10:55

07-Nov-2004

Athens Classic Marathon

Frederick Cherono

KEN

23-Nov-1977

2:15:28

06-Nov-2005

Athens Classic Marathon

James Saina

KEN

 

2:16:15

05-Nov-2006

Athens Classic Marathon

Henry Tarus

KEN

06-Dec-1978

2:17:46

04-Nov-2007

Athens Classic Marathon

Benjamin Kiprotich

KEN

1978

2:14:40

09-Nov-2008

Athens Classic Marathon

Paul Nicholas Lekuraa

KEN

1983

2:12:42

08-Nov-2009

Athens Classic Marathon

Josephat Ngetich

KEN

 

2:13:44

 

 

RACEDATE

NAME OF EVENT

ATHLETE

NAT

BIRTHDATE

TIME

WOMEN

         

19-Oct-1974

Athens Classic Marathon

Eva-Maria Westphal

GER

14-Jan-1918

3:55:56

18-Oct-1975

Athens Classic Marathon

Corrie Konings

NED

16-Oct-1940

3:16:13

10-Oct-1976

Athens Classic Marathon

Melissa Hendriksen

USA

 

3:35:45

06-Oct-1979

Athens Classic Marathon

Gaby Birrer

SUI

19-Nov-1950

03:34:21

11-Oct-1980

Athens Classic Marathon

ArleneVolmer

USA

 

3:17:07

20-Oct-1981

Athens Classic Marathon

Britta Sorensen

DEN

25-Aug-1946

3:16:00

12-Sep-1982

European Athletics Championships

Rosa Mota

POR

02-Apr-1974

02:36:04

15-Oct-1982

Athens Classic Marathon

Ella Grimm

DEN

23-Nov-1947

3:07:41

09-Oct-1983

Athens Classic Marathon

Sofia Baxevani

GRE

 

3:31:49

14-Oct-1984

Athens Classic Marathon

Barbara Balzer

USA

17-Aug-1952

2:58:30

13-Oct-1985

Athens Classic Marathon

Vanessa Francis

GBR

 

3:04:30

12-Oct-1986

Athens Classic Marathon

Signe Ward

NOR

 

3:06:58

11-Oct-1987

Athens Classic Marathon

Irina Bogacheva

KGZ

30-May-1961

02:43:37

23-Oct-1988

Athens Classic Marathon

Magdalena Poulimenou

GRE

 

2:50:59

22-Oct-1989

Athens Classic Marathon

Leslie Lewis

USA

13-Feb-1955

2:37:42

21-Oct-1990

Athens Classic Marathon

Prudence Taylor

NZL

 

2:59:15

13-Oct-1991

Athens Classic Marathon

Sofia Sotiriadou

GRE

1969

2:59:29

18-Oct-1992

Athens Classic Marathon

Reiko Hirosawa

JPN

27-Jan-1948

03:05:24

24-Oct-1993

Athens Classic Marathon

Panagiota Petropoulou

GRE

 

03:15:56

30-Oct-1994

Athens Classic Marathon

Kleri Stavropoulou

GRE

 

03:21:32

09-Apr-1995

IAAF World Marathon Cup

Anuta Catuna

ROM

01-Oct-1968

02:31:10

05-Nov-1995

Athens Classic Marathon

Panagiota Nikolakopoulou

GRE

08-Mar-1964

02:59:45

20-Oct-1996

Athens Classic Marathon

Panagiota Petropoulou

GRE

 

02:56:42

09-Aug-1997

IAAF Athletics World Championships

Hiromi Suzuki

JPN

06-Dec-1968

2:29:48

26-Oct-1997

Gregoris Lambrakis Marathon

Melissa Hurta

USA

28-Mar-1963

02:54:43

01-Nov-1998

Athens Classic Marathon

JoySmith

USA

05-Jan-1962

02:50:52

17-Oct-1999

Athens Peace International Marathon

Tamaki Okuno

JPN

1975

2:46:46

05-Nov-2000

Athens Classic Marathon

GeorgiaAbatzidou

GRE

19-Apr-1969

2:53:00

04-Nov-2001

Athens Classic Marathon

Sonja Oberem

GER

24-Feb-1973

2:36:15

03-Nov-2002

Athens Classic Marathon

Sonja Oberem

GER

24-Feb-1973

02:37:29

02-Nov-2003

Athens Classic Marathon

Nadezhda Wienberg

NED

02-Apr-1964

02:43:18

22-Aug-2004

Modern Olympic Games

Mizuki Noguchi

JPN

03-Jul-1978

2:26:20

07-Nov-2004

Athens Classic Marathon

Zinash Alemu

ETH

1982

02:41:11

06-Nov-2005

Athens Classic Marathon

Sisay Measo

ETH

1980

02:38:39

05-Nov-2006

Athens Classic Marathon

Chikako Oguchi

JPN

19-Oct-1979

02:40:45

04-Nov-2007

Athens Classic Marathon

Svetlana Ponomarenko

RUS

23-Nov-1969

02:33:19

09-Nov-2008

Athens Classic Marathon

Mai Tagami

JPN

22-Jan-1980

02:36:58

08-Nov-2009

Athens Classic Marathon

Akemi Ozaki

JPN

12-Oct-1977

02:39:56

 

 

FASTEST PERFORMANCES

ATHLETE

NAT

BIRTHDATE

TIME

PLACE

RACEDATE

MEN

         

Stefano Baldini

ITA

25-May-1971

02:10:55

1

29-Aug-2004

William Adcocks

GBR

11-Nov-1941

2:11:07.2

1

06-Apr-1969

Mebrahtom Keflezighi

USA

05-May-1975

2:11:29

2

29-Aug-2004

Rodolfo Gomez

MEX

30-Oct-1950

2:11:49

1

07-Mar-1982

Douglas Wakiihuri

KEN

26-Sep-1963

2:12:01

1

09-Apr-1995

Vanderlei de Lima

BRA

11-Aug-1969

2:12:11

3

29-Aug-2004

Jon Brown

GBR

27-Feb-1971

2:12:26

4

29-Aug-2004

Paul Nicholas Lekuraa

KEN

1983

2:12:42

1

09-Nov-2008

Shigeru Aburaya

JPN

06-Feb-1977

2:13:11

5

29-Aug-2004

Abel Anton

ESP

24-Oct-1962

2:13:16

1

10-Aug-1997

WOMEN

         

Mizuki Noguchi

JPN

03-Jul-1978

2:26:20

1

22-Aug-2004

Catherine Ndereba

KEN

21-Jul-1972

2:26:32

2

22-Aug-2004

Deena Kastor

USA

14-Feb-1973

2:27:20

3

22-Aug-2004

Elfenesh Alemu

ETH

10-Jun-1975

2:28:15

4

22-Aug-2004

Reiko Tosa

JPN

11-Jun-1976

2:28:44

5

22-Aug-2004

Hiromi Suzuki

JPN

06-Dec-1968

2:29:48

1

09-Aug-1997

Anuta Catuna

ROM

01-Oct-1968

2:31:10

1

09-Aug-1997

Manuela Machado

POR

09-Oct-1963

2:31:12

2

09-Apr-1995

Olivera Jevtic

SCG

24-Jul-1977

2:31:15

6

22-Aug-2004

Naoko Sakamoto

JPN

14-Nov-1980

2:31:43

7

22-Aug-2004

 

Statistics compiled by David E. Martin, PhD, FACSM, ATFS, AIMS –

The History of the Marathon – A Distance Running commemorative supplement.

author: GRR

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