Radclife returns to form in the Big Apple.
November 5th 2007 16:22
The marathon world record holder managed to hold off great rival Ethiopian Gete Wami in sunny and dry conditions with a fabulous sprint finish to record a time of 2 hours, 23 minutes and 9 seconds.
Radcliffe only had the 32 year old Wami for company for the majority of the race as the leading pair separated themselves from the rest of the elite field early on and went through the half way stage in 1 hour, 10 minutes and 40 seconds – a course record.
But Wami managed to stay with the ferocious pace set by the Briton and drew level in the final mile before Radcliffe’s late surge.
The win puts Radcliffe firmly back at the summit of elite marathon running after the birth of her daughter and the subsequent stress fracture to her back that resulted from the birth.
The last time Radcliffe ran a competitive marathon was in 2005 when she won the world title in Helsinki.
A clearly emotional Radcliffe commented, “People thought having a baby would be the end of my career – I never thought it would be.”
Indeed her career might go on for some time yet with the 33 year old Radcliffe stating that she would like to run at that the 2012 Olympic Games in London by which time she will be 38.
“It would be an electric occasion to be able to take part in the Olympics in your home country, with that support.”
“If my body can hold together, which I'm sure it can do, then I would really love to be there.”
The mens title was taken by Kenya’s Martin Lel who out sprinted Moroccan Abderrahim Goumri to add the New York mantle to the London crown he won in April.
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