Joan Benoit Samuelson, the 1984 Olympic marathon...

Joan Benoit Samuelson, the 1984 Olympic marathon champion who was returning to competition after having her second child in January, was the first women’s finisher in the Sognefjord Viking Half-Marathon at Balestrand, Norway.

Samuelson was timed in 1 hour 12 minutes 38 seconds. She beat runner-up Marianne Floeymo of Norway by 5:14.

Simon Robert Naali of Tanzania led all the way in winning in 1:01:44. He was followed by countrymen Nada Saktai in 1:02:54 and Simon Peter in 1:05:10. Joseph Chelago of Kenya placed fourth in 1:05:54 and Kjetil Berg of Norway was fifth in 1:06:28.

Frank Shorter, the 1972 Olympic marathon champion, finished eighth in 1:12:17, behind two other Norwegians.