London Marathon : Kristiansen Beats Competition, but Not Her Record

After three previous tries, Ingrid Kristiansen of Norway dutifully tried again on the course where she set a world record in 1985.

On a cool and overcast day Sunday--nearly perfect for such events--Kristiansen failed in her fourth, and she says her last, attempt to break the 2-hour 20-minute barrier. Kristiansen won the women’s division of the London Marathon, but settled for a time of 2:25:41 and about $30,000.

Kristiansen’s well-publicized attempt at a world record here was overshadowed by events in the Rotterdam Marathon Sunday, where the world record for men was shattered by Belayenh Dinsimo of Ethiopia. His time of 2:06:49 broke Carlos Lopes’ record of 2:07:12, set on the same course in 1985.

Kristiansen appeared to have started quite fast over the first half of the race, along with the 22,469 other runners. It was the same tactic that proved her undoing here last year.

And, even though the second half was a much more conservative race for Kristiansen, she had already expended too much energy in the early stages. In fact, Kristiansen had precious little spare energy, as she won the World Cross-Country championships and the World 15K championships less than a week apart last month.

Much was made this week of Kristiansen’s call for male runners to accompany her during the race, to pull her along to a faster time. Had she won the race and broken her record of 2:21:06, it would have been worth more than $200,000 in prize money and bonuses.

Though it is not shocking that a world-class runner would arrange to be paced in a world-record attempt, it is surprising is to have the athlete publicly solicit candidates. There were many takers, including Mike McGeoch who stayed with Kristiansen doggedly the entire race.

“Today I was very bad from the start,” she said. “I got tired just after 5K. It was hard to push myself for a good time. I feel in good shape, but I had a tough schedule.”

Kristiansen has said this will be her last serious marathon. She will concentrate on the 10,000 meters in the Seoul Olympics. However, after Sunday’s race, Kristiansen said she might run another marathon in the fall.

“Just to win, not for the record,” she said.

Henryk Jorgensen of Denmark won the men’s race in 2:10:20, and earned a spot on the Danish Olympic team.

This race is also designated as the Olympic trial for British men and women, but at least two of the top British runners were not here.

Steve Jones and Priscilla Welch are running in today’s Boston Marathon. The fact that both runners are lured to Boston by hefty appearance money, thought to be the most available for any marathon in the world, has not set well with British officials.

Jones and Welch must perform exceptionally well to be named to the British team. The top two British finishers here, Kevin Forster, who was second, and Hugh Jones, who was fourth, have been given automatic berths.