Radcliffe triumphs again in New York

Eurosport - Mon, 03 Nov 15:05:00 2008

Britain's Paula Radcliffe won the New York Marathon, defending the crown she won last year to become only the second woman to win the race for a third time.

ATHLETICS 2008 New York Radcliffe - 0

Radcliffe won in an unofficial time of 2hrs, 23mins 55secs with Russian Ludmila Petrova second in 2:25:43 and marathon debutante Kara Goucher third in 2:25:52, becoming the first American on the podium in the race in 14 years.

In cool and windy conditions for the 39th New York Marathon, Radcliffe led from start to finish to match her 2004 and 2007 triumph and join nine-time winner Grete Waitz as the only woman to capture the race more than twice.

Radcliffe, whose victory last year came 10 months after giving birth to her first child, suffered a stress fracture in her left leg this year that led to a disappointing 23rd-place finish at the Beijing Olympics.

Radcliffe, 34, jumped to the lead from the opening gun with US debutante Kara Goucher, trained by three-time New York winner Alberto Salzar, right behind her for the first two-thirds of the race.

Leading a pack of six at the half-way mark, Radcliffe knew that seven of the past nine women's winners at New York led at that mark.

Goucher, who ran in memory of a father killed by a drunk driver when she was only a child in New York, dropped off Radcliffe's pace in the 19th mile.

That left 2000 winner Ludmila Petrova of Russia, reigning Boston Marathon champion Dire Tune of Ethiopia and two-time Berlin champion Gete Wami of Ethiopia in a line behind Radcliffe.

In a 21st-mile bridge climb, Wami and Tune fell off the pace as well, leaving Radcliffe shadowed only by the 40-year-old Russian.

Radcliffe ran the 22nd mile in 5:12 and pulled away from the Russian to put herself clear as downtown Manhattan loomed before her after two hours, tugging the margin to a minute with a mile to run.

One year after outdueling Wami to the line, Radcliffe was alone to enjoy the cheers as she crossed the finish line, after which she hoisted her baby daughter and the British flag in celebration.

Two-time world champion Catherine Ndereba, a Kenyan who won her second Olympic silver medal at Beijing, fell back early, the two-time Chicago and four-time Boston winner unable to challenge for her first New York crown.

Australian Kurt Fearnley won his third consecutive men's wheelchair title and Swiss Edith Hunkeler captured her third women's wheelchair title in a row.

Reuters

Comment 2 - 21 of 61

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  1. LEGEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From charlymaclean, on Sun 2 Nov 10:30PM

  2. Good on you Paula You are a Star and no one can take that away from you.

    from Noel in Richmond on Thames.

    From DAWN S, on Sun 2 Nov 10:21PM

  3. This is good news, Well done Paula, it would be nice if she could be fit to run in the London Olympics and retire on a high. But Paula has done this country proud again.

    From dewi, on Sun 2 Nov 10:13PM

  4. sorry paula i think you are a money grabber .if you did not run for team gb again i would be very happy.i am not like the rest i think you are a loser..

    From imarshall38, on Sun 2 Nov 10:10PM

  5. Good on you Paula you are a true Hero. Run when and where you want and when you feel fit to do so. You are a winner and a great Lady that is all that matters at this moment in time good luck to you Paula..

    From DAWN S, on Sun 2 Nov 10:05PM

  6. No one expected her to win in China including her, she was answering her critics from Athens. Lets not forget she holds the womens world record by a good margin.....well done Paula!

    From Bazz, on Sun 2 Nov 9:45PM

  7. what a fantastic run paula well done.

    From dasparm@..., on Sun 2 Nov 9:37PM

  8. Well done Paula, you have done it once again. You have been a brilliant representative of long distance running for the Country.
    Please Please Please now start to think of your body and the pounding you have given your joints over the years, think hard about retirement before you harm yourself. Thank you for so much pleasure that your dedication to the sport has given to so many.

    From navi, on Sun 2 Nov 9:19PM

  9. Bubka milked the athletic circuit for years getting paid 100,000 US or so every time he broke the world record by a fraction. Similarly with Isabayeva although she did win the Olympic Gold last time around even giving us a world record for free. Don't count on Paula winning in London..maybe many other pay days before then will see her not being able to compete or just too worn out by then. Great athlete but I think the Olympics are the mark of the great.

    From Old Mr Happy, on Sun 2 Nov 9:17PM

  10. "Nice to see that Paula gives 100% when there is a big pot of money at the finish line. Shame she can't do the same for her country at the Olympics."

    Unbelievably stupid comment which only shows the ignorance of the individual posting - obviously you have no knowledge of both Olympic situations or perhaps you just have a hang up about her which means you will always be negative about anything she does - your statement reveals more about you and only highlights your lack of any knowledge of Paulas Olympic attempts.

    From shona.morland@..., on Sun 2 Nov 9:13PM

  11. this is a remarkable achievement. To reach this level again is remarkable. Nice one Paula.

    From guidedog, on Sun 2 Nov 9:10PM

  12. well done Paula you are a star...I think that all those ignorante people who think running a marathon is easy should try it once themselves...they will then end up showing a bit more respect to a true athlete..freddie

    From federica, on Sun 2 Nov 9:09PM

  13. well done paula good to see the brits making it a super sunday with you winning your marathon and lewis hamilton becomming world champion well done to the both of you from wayne Lisburn NI

    From Maccers, on Sun 2 Nov 9:08PM

  14. Well done Paula! Looking forward to 2012. :)

    From DD, on Sun 2 Nov 9:07PM

  15. I don't think Paula runs for the money anymore and even if she does who can blame her she has to make a living so you can't deny her that.

    I watched both the Olympic Marathons Paula has run in and she tried her damned hardest to win both races, the heat got her the first time and this time she had just come back from a bad injury so to even compete in the race was a minor miracle,a shade unlucky at times i think.

    Paula Radcliffe will go down as the greatest women marathon runner England has ever seen and possibly the world and if she can keep in fine fettle for the next 3 + years then she can bow out by winning the Gold Medal in 2012 which will crown a glittering career, good luck to her and well done on winning the New York marathon for a 3rd time.

    From JOHN, on Sun 2 Nov 8:52PM

  16. A great athlete who had unfortunate injuries for the Olympics. Fantastic achievements and so much training. Keep going Paula

    From taff, on Sun 2 Nov 8:00PM

  17. roll on 2012 paula has it in the bag already

    From diddy o, on Sun 2 Nov 7:49PM

  18. Olympic golds are not the only measure of greatness. If you don't believe me, ask Sergei Bubka, or anyone who watched him ("only" one Olympic gold over more than 15 years as world no 1). Paula Radcliffe has nothing to prove to anyone in my opinion.

    From Brendan, on Sun 2 Nov 7:45PM

  19. Nice to see that Paula gives 100% when there is a big pot of money at the finish line. Shame she can't do the same for her country at the Olympics.

    From David T, on Sun 2 Nov 7:41PM

  20. welldone paula...had she been fit for the olympics she would defenitely had been a contender for a gold medal....nice to see her bounce back from that letdown.

    From m.fowler771@..., on Sun 2 Nov 7:11PM
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