Saleh and Waitz Favored in Today’s Marathon : More Than 19,000 People, From 74 Countries, Will Run in New York Race

The sound of running feet, cheered on by hundreds of thousands of clapping hands and screaming voices, will echo through all of New York City today.

More than 19,000 people, representing 74 countries, will participate in the New York Marathon. A handful of the more serious runners will be in quest of a share of the $273,800 prize money, while the others are interested only in a day of fun and personal glory.

Also making a fun day of it will be some million spectators lined up along the 26.2 mile course which touches all five boroughs, applauding the runners who are all but anonymous to them, and lending the enthusiasm that makes this race a happening unlike any other event in New York.

“The crowd is what makes New York a special marathon,” said Norwegian Grete Waitz, a six-time winner of this event, including the last three years. “They treat everybody like a winner.”

Ahmed Saleh of Djibouti, making his first visit to New York, is favored in the men’s division, and although a virtual newcomer to the sport he has the potential to beat the world record. Waitz is an even stronger choice to win the women’s race for the seventh time.

For American fans, the big news is the return of Bill Rodgers, a four-time marathon winner who has not raced here since 1980 because of a dispute about money.

The New York Marathon, being contested for the 16th time, is the second largest in the world, falling behind London, which had 21,000 runners this year. But the New York organizers also rejected 22,000 entries.

“This is the best field we’ve ever had,” said race director Fred Lebow. “I don’t think any marathon has ever been as deep as this one.”

Although the New York course wasn’t designed for speed -- “It was more important to accommodate all five boroughs and the excitement that generates,” Lebow said -- five world records have been set in the last seven years. Waitz was responsible for three of them, with Allison Roe and Alberto Salazar accounting for one each.

ABC-TV will present live coverage of the marathon for three hours, starting at 7:30 a.m. PST.

Saleh, a 29-year-old army paratrooper, began competitive racing only four years ago, and he already is the third fastest marathoner in history. His time of 2 hours, 8 minutes and 9 seconds in winning the World Cup in Hiroshima, Japan, in April, was less than a minute shy of Carlos Lopes’ all-time best of 2:07.11.

“I cannot imagine the future for this marathon, but I’ll try to break the world record,” Saleh said earlier this week through an interpreter. “If everything is flat, I’m thinking of 2 hours, 7 minutes. I’m not a great marathon man, but I try every time to beat the record. Before that, I cannot say I’m a great marathon man. If I don’t break the record this year, I hope next year.”

Rodgers, nearing his 38th birthday, will be running only his third marathon in two years, and doesn’t delude himself with thoughts of winning.

“The challenge to me,” Rodgers said, “is to see if I can hang close to the leaders and not fall apart. I hope I can be competitive with the pack. If I can finish in the top five and break 2:12, I’ll consider my race a success.”

The defending champion, Orlando Pizzolato, won’t have the advantage of surprise such as he had last year, when he wasn’t considered a serious threat and thus was allowed to take the lead.

“It won’t be easy to win it this year,” the 27-year-old Italian admitted. “Last year I was unknown so I could go in front of the race without problems. This year it will be difficult to go in front.

“Because I was an outsider, no one worried about me. When I went in front, no one gave me problems. When they recognized me, it was too late.”

Other leading men include Geoff Smith of Britain, a two-time Boston Marathon champion and runnerup in New York in 1983; Gerard Nijboer of the Netherlands; Ron Tabb of Eugene, Ore., the fifth fastest American marathoner of all time; and Gidamis Shahanga of Tanzania.

With the absence in particular of Joan Benoit Samuelson, winner of last week’s America’s Marathon in Chicago, the women’s field isn’t as strong. Waitz, 32, will be looking to lower her own personal best of 2:25:41 and to equal the 55-year-old record of Clarence DeMar for most victories in one marathon event.

Lauri Fogli of Italy, who has finished no lower than fourth in four previous New York attempts, said earlier this week she was sure Waitz would win.

Other leading women include Julie Brown of Eugene, Ore., the second fastest American woman marathoner, Lisa Martin of Australia, and Lorraine Moller of New Zealand, the 1984 Boston Marathon winner.

The winners of the men’s and women’s races will receive $25,000 each and a new car.