Catherine Ndereba/file
photo
Margaret Okayo/photo
courtsey BBC
Evans Rutto photo courtsey BBC
Timonthy Cherigat photo courtsey NYRoadRunners
|
Sunday, April 18 and Monday, April 19, 2004 will be days to be remembered
especially if you are lover of marathons and sports in general.
Over the castles of Europe’s world-famed Flora London Marathon,
Kenya's Margaret Okayo won her debut after a tough battle with Romania's
Constantina Dita clocking two hours 22 minutes 35 seconds.
Moments after Okayo’s victory, 9,000 miles away in Boston, Catherine
Ndereba was readying herself for the 108th Boston Marathon. As the
sun set over Okayo’s win back in Europe, Catherine Ndereba’s
Monday sunrise got on with a record victory for Kenya.
This was Ndereba's third win and her 16-second margin of victory tying
for the smallest in women's race history.
The two victories get even better and this is why; the Kenyan men
kept their long tradition in Boston. Timothy Cherigat of Kenya) won
the men’s race at 2:10:37 in Boston and Evens Rutto, 2003 winner
of Chicago Marathon, took London race by two hours six minutes 18
seconds.
Anything unique to these two races? Yes there is. Can you imagine
what it may feel like running in hot water? That is what it may felt
like for Catherine, Timothy Cherigat 2:10:37, Robert Cheboror, 2:11:49,
Martin Lel 2:13:38, Stephen Kiogora 2:14:34, Benjamin Kosgei
Kimutai 2:17:45, Joshua Kipkemboi 2:18:23, and Elly Rono 2:22:45.
Nevertheless, they swept the cream of Boston’s top dollars.
What about London? Well, things were a little different in the London
Marathon but what shocked fans and people the world over was the fact
that Evans Rutto survived a fall and wet conditions to win his first
London Marathon. Well this is only MADE in Kenya. Bravo Kenyans and
keep up that poor flag flying. One day we shall understand why as
much as we seem to have seen so much.
If you wish to read more on these two Marathons, please logon to:
http://www.bostonmarathon.com and or http://www.london-marathon.co.uk.
Alternatively, you can logon to Google.com and type in Rutto or Ndereba.
You will be amazed what you will come up. |
