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Ritz, Hall, Sell finish in 9th, 10th, and 22nd
Posted August 23rd, 2008 at 9:49 PM by Jared Markowitz
Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics
Dathan Ritzenhein, Ryan Hall, and Brian Sell have completed their Olympic Marathons in fine fashion. Ritzenhein and Hall finished in 9th (2:11:59) and 10th (2:12:33) respectively with Brian Sell placing 22nd (2:16:07). Stayed tuned for more analysis of their races at thefinalsprint.com …
Wanjiru Wins Olympic Marathon; Gharib and Kebede Claim Silver and Bronze
Posted August 23rd, 2008 at 9:43 PM by Jared Markowitz
Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics
Kenyan Samuel Wanjiru has won the Olympic Marathon, the first Olympic Marathon gold medal for the storied Kenyan distance team. Wanjiru’s time of 2:06:32 broke the old Olympic record by almost 3:00 (2:09:21 was the old record) and was a remarkable achievement given the steamy conditions. Morocco’s Jaouad Gharib took silver in while Ethiopia’s Tsegay Kebede took bronze, passing teammate Deriba Merga on the track.
Wanjiru, Merga, Gharib only men left at 20 miles
Posted August 23rd, 2008 at 8:57 PM by Jared Markowitz
Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics
The lead pack of the Olympic Marathon has been whittled to three- Samuel Wanjiru of Kenya, Deriba Merga of Ethiopia, and Jaouad Gharib of Morocco. Their 20 mile split was 1:35:52, still right around 2:05:40 pace. Wanjiru and Merga look very strong while Gharib has drifted off the pace numerous times but has been able to claw back to the front each time. Martin Lel and Yonas Kifle are now off the leaders, but running together as the closest pursuers. Americans Dathan Ritzenhein and Ryan Hall are in 10th and 13th, about 2:30 and 3:30 back respectively. Brian Sell is another 1:30 back from Hall in 18th place. Thus far the leaders have been able to deal with the heat admirably, but this last 10k promises to challenge every man in the race. Stay tuned….
Lead pack down to 5 through 15 miles of Olympic Marathon
Posted August 23rd, 2008 at 8:36 PM by Jared Markowitz
Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics
The lead pack has dwindled to five through 15 miles of the Olympic Marathon. These men- Martin Lel and Samuel Wanjiru of Kenya, Yonas Kifle of Eritrea, Deriba Merga of Ethiopia and Jaouad Gharib of Morocco- are still running around 2:05-2:06 pace. They came through the half marathon in 1:02:38 and 15 miles in 1:11:24. Their closest competitors are about 45 seconds back, with Americans Dathan Ritzenhein and Ryan Hall nearing the top 10 about 1:15 back. The temperature continues to rise as the morning progresses in Beijing. The question now will be who in the lead pack can hold on for another 11 miles, and who among the chasers can reel them in?
Lead Pack of 7 intact through 10 miles of Olympic Marathon
Posted August 23rd, 2008 at 8:20 PM by Jared Markowitz
Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics
A lead pack of 7 men have passed the 10 mile mark of the Olympic Marathon in a sizzling 47:46. This pack includes all three Kenyan entrants (Martin Lel, Samuel Wanjiru, and Luke Kibet) as well as Moroccans Abderrahim Goumri and Jaouad Gharib and Eritreans Yared Asmeron and Yonas Kifle. The Kenyans and Eritreans have been trading the lead, with Samuel Wanjiru periodically leading surges to pull the leaders further from the rest of the field. They are currently under 2:05 pace, quite ambitious considering the rising temperatures on this summer morning. The temperatures have risen nine degrees (into the mid-80s) since the start and will likely continue to rise in the next two hours.
Back in the pack, the Americans are running more conservatively and perhaps more intelligently. Dathan Ritzenhein is about 50 seconds back, Ryan Hall is about 70 seconds back, and Brian Sell is about 2:33 off the leaders. Look for these men to pick off competitors throughout the second half of the race as the pace takes its toll. Hall is perhaps drawing his inspiration from Deena Kastor’s bronze medal effort in 2004, where the American moved up throughout the race as her more ambitious competition faltered in the heat. Nonetheless, the Americans have a lot of ground to make up…
Men Through 10k at Blistering Pace
Posted August 23rd, 2008 at 8:00 PM by Adam Jacobs
Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics
The men are off to a blistering, almost 2:06 pace and are trying to take advantage of the fast course which begins adjacent to Tiananmen Square. This strategy is the opposite of what was employed by the women in their version of the Olympic marathon last week.
They ran the opening mile in 4:41, completed 5k in 14:52 (Ritz - 14:59, Hall -15:03) and are now through 10k in 29:25. Hall and Ritz trail by 23 and 25 seconds, both of whom are hoping that the leaders will fall off the pace and that they will be rested and ready to catch up.
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Olympic Marathon Underway!
Posted August 23rd, 2008 at 7:26 PM by Jared Markowitz
Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics
The Men’s Marathon is underway at the 2008 Olympic Games. Ninety two men toed the line including Americans Ryan Hall , Dathan Ritzenhein, and Brian Sell. The thermometer read 74 degrees at the start, with humidity at 67%. These conditions should become more severe and play a role as the morning progresses, even on the relatively flat Olympic course.
Among the favorites in this race are Kenyans Martin Lel and Sammy Wanjiru, Moroccans Abderrahim Goumri and Jaouad Gharib, Qatar’s Mubarak Shami, Ethiopia’s Tsegaye Kebede, Japan’s Tsuyoshi Ogata, and of course Ryan Hall. Look for these men to set a brisk pace as conditions allow and set themselves up for a late race battle. Of course the marathon is one of the most unpredictable events out there, so it would be surprising if there are no upstarts who play a major role….
2008 Beijing Olympic Preview: Men’s Marathon
Posted August 23rd, 2008 at 6:00 PM by Jesse Squire
Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics
Men’s Marathon
The Schedule: Sunday, Aug 24 (live on NBC, Saturday at 7:30 p.m. EDT)
The Americans: Ryan Hall, Dathan Ritzenhein, Brian Sell
The Contenders: Sammy Wanjiru (KEN), Martin Lel (KEN), Robert Cheruyiot (KEN), Mubarak Shami (QAT), Abderrahim Goumri (MAR), Jaouad Gharib (MAR), Tsegaye Kebede (ETH), Tsuyoshi Ogata (JPN)
The Stats: Records, 2008 List, 2007 Worlds, 2004 Olympics
The Medal Picks: T&FN - Wanjiru, Lel, Goumri;
SI - Lel, Goumri, Kebede
The Story: If you look at the World Marathon Majors leader board, you would expect the race to come down to Lel, Cheruyiot and Goumri, or new half-marathon World Record holder Wanjiru. But that’s predicting the future based solely on what has happened in the past, and that’s an iffy proposition for the marathon.
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Bekele Completes Distance Double
Posted August 23rd, 2008 at 8:29 AM by Jared Markowitz
Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics
Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele has won the Olympic 5000 m, pulling away late to earn his second gold medal of these Games. Bekele clocked 12:57.82 for the distance, an Olympic Record and a remarkable feat considering the tactical nature of this race. Kenyans Eliud Kipchoge and Edwin Soi took silver and bronze in 13:02.80 and 13:06.22, respectively. Americans Bernard Lagat and Matt Tegenkamp finished in ninth and thirteenth, well out of medal contention.
The buildup for this race was not lacking in drama, as remarks made by Kenyan coach Julius Kirwa revealed the team tactics that his nation planned to employ. The Kenyan plan was focused on neutralizing reigning World Champion Bernard Lagat, a miler by trade who used his blistering kick to win off a slow pace last summer in Osaka. Of course the Kenyans must also have been concerned about their archrival Ethiopia, whose team of the Bekele brothers (Kenenisa and Tariku) along with Abreham Cherkos would prove formidable. Kenenisa Bekele owns the World Record in the 5000 m but had thus far failed to win a championship 5000m, due mainly to the physical toll of his dominance in the 10000 m.
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Dibaba Golden Again!
Posted August 22nd, 2008 at 8:59 AM by Jared Markowitz
Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics
Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba has completed a rare distance double, winning the Women’s Olympic 5000m title tonight to add to the 10000m title she won last Friday. Dibaba stayed near the front throughout and used a punishing final kilometer to hold off 10000m silver medalist Elvan Abeylegesse of Turkey and fellow Ethiopian Meseret Defar, who took silver and bronze respectively. Kara Goucher was the top American in 9th place and was closely followed by 10000m bronze medalist Shalane Flanagan in 10th.
Few races in these Games have been surrounded with as much intrigue as this one. There was the great individual matchup between Dibaba and Defar, two rivals who have traded the World Record in recent years (Dibaba currently owns it at 14:11.15 but Defar has run 14:12.88).
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Who was America's most-valuable male runner in 2008?
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- Large Pack Still Together at 10 Miles
A large lead pack is still intact 10 miles into the 2008 Women’s Olympic Marathon. Romanian Constantina Tomescu-Dita (Pictured) was the leader of the 40 woman pack at the 10 mile mark, reaching it in 57:49. The pace thus far has been sluggish but consistent, with opening 5k splits of 18:24, 17:46, 17:42. […]
- Britain’s Yelling Leads Large Pack Through 5 Miles
The field has passed the 5 mile mark in the Women’s Olympic Marathon tightly bunched in about 29:20. Britain’s Liz Yelling has assumed most of the pacing duties and has kept the pace relaxed as almost all the main competitors are still together.
The only notable casualty was American Deena Kastor (the reigning […] - Kastor Injures Foot, Drops Out of Olympic Marathon
Deena Kastor has dropped out of the 2008 Olympic Marathon right around the 5k mark. The pace to that point was pedestrian and the competitors were approaching the first water stop when Kastor pulled up lame. Deena apparently injured her foot, as she immediately grabbed it after limping to the side and seemed […]
- Olympic Women’s Marathon Begins in Beijing
The women’s marathon at the 2008 Beijing Olympics has begun with the 82 runners from 46 countries competing for the gold medal. The weather is mostly cloudy and 72 degrees Fahrenheit, with 88% humidity. Among the favorites are 2007 Berlin Marathon champion Gete Wami (ETH), world champion Catherine Ndereba (KEN), 2004 marathon bronze medalist […]
- 2008 Beijing Olympic Preview: Women’s Marathon
Women’s Marathon
The Schedule: Sunday, Aug 17 (live on NBC, Saturday Aug 16 at 7:30 p.m. EDT)The Americans: Deena Kastor, Magdalena Lewy-Boulet, Blake RussellThe Contenders: Zhou Chunxiu (CHN), Catherine Ndereba (KEN), Gete Wami (ETH), Paula Radcliffe (GBR), Zhu Xiaolin (CHN), Reiko Tosa (JPN)The Stats: Records, 2008 List, 2007 Worlds, 2004 OlympicsThe Medal Picks: T&FN - Zhou, […] - Bolt Amazes with 9.69 100m World Record in Beijing
Underscoring the world record performance that thrust him into the sprint spotlight late last spring, Usain Bolt did himself even one better in Beijing, cruising to a 9.69 world record to demolish the field in the final of the men’s 100 meters on the second day of action at the National Stadium.
“My aim was just […] - Mutola to Contest Fifth Olympic 800m Final
Competing in her sixth Olympic Games and in her final year of elite competition, Maria Mutola will compete in her fifth Olympic 800m final next Monday here in Beijing’s National Stadium, the Bird’s Nest.
In tonight’s semi-finals, Mutola survived some rough stuff on the final turn of the first heat, when Tetyana Petlyuk stumbled, extended her […] - Team USA: Day 2 Track Recap
Team USA is still yet to earn a gold medal after several disappointing races on Day 2 of the Track & Field events at the 2008 Olympic Games.
DIX EARNS BRONZE IN GAY-LESS 100M FINAL
In the afternoon session of the Track & Field events, the men’s semifinal and final races of the 100m event […] - Most Favorites Advance in Men’s Steeplechase Qualifying
Highlighted by a front-running performance by American Anthony Famiglietti (Pictured), most of the medal favorites made it through this morning’s qualifying round of the men’s 3000m steeplechase.
Running in heat 2, Famiglietti immediately burst to the front, and within three laps had amassed a nine second lead. Although he was caught by the chase pack […] - Shalane Flanagan Wins 10,000m Bronze Medal
Shalane Flanagan won an Olympic bronze medal in the 10,000 meters Friday night in Beijing. She broke her own American record by 12 seconds with a time of 30:22.22. It was only the second time in history that a U.S. woman has medaled in the event.
Flanagan fell ill Tuesday night and suffered from stomach issues […]
The Final Sprint
On January 8, 2009
Joe said:
Hey Nick, First of all I want to tell you what an inspiration you are to me. I am an "old timer" (just...