Start spreading the news… Radcliffe returns! –

Britain’s Paula Radcliffe made an impressive return to the World Marathon stage yesterday, when she held off long-standing Ethiopian rival, Gete Wami, to win her second New York Marathon.

The World Marathon record holder’s return to competition following a two year break due to recurring foot injuries and the birth of her first child, Isla, this January, had been greatly anticipated both in the distance running community and in the world’s press. However, leading with a very fast pace from the outset, there was no way that Radcliffe was in anyway fazed by the pressure of these high expectations.

Radcliffe and Wami broke away from the main pack from the gun and in the perfect Marathon conditions reached the half way mark on target for a new course record with 1:10.40.

Although the race pace slowed somewhat in the second half, Radcliffe and Wami’s battle for dominance continued through to the final mile where Radcliffe used her last reserves to sprint through the finish line in 2:23.09, with Wami just 23 seconds behind.

Latvian Marathon star, Jelena Prokopcuka, who was hoping for her New York hat trick and a chance at the World Marathon Majors $500,000 prize purse, had to settle for a third place finish in 2:26:13, followed by this year’s Boston Marathon winner Lidiya Grigoryeva (RUS) in fourth (2:28:37).

Radcliffe is now the first British athlete to qualify for Beijing, easily beating the qualifying time of 2:27.00, and relieving her of the pressure of another Marathon in the spring and fuelling rumours that she may make a guest appearance at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh in March.

The men’s race was dominated by London Marathon winner, Martin Lel (KEN), with the Italian duo of Stefano Baldini (2:11.58) and Ruggero Pertile (2:13.01) putting in the strongest European performances finishing in fourth and sixth place respectively.

Source/Courtesy
European Athletics (EAA)
https://www.european-athletics.org/
EAA