U.S. has two women in top 11 for first time at Olympic marathon

LONDON -- Ehtiopia’s Tiki Gelana set an Olympic record in the women’s marathon Sunday, holding off Kenya’s Priscah Jeptoo with a time of 2:23:07.

U.S. runner Shalane Flanagan finished 10th with a time of 2:25:51. Behind her in 11th was American runner Kara Goucher, who crossed the line at 2:26:07 at The Mall of London.

It was the first time the U.S. ever had two women among the top 11 finishers, but Flanagan seemed disappointed.

“It’s a bummer to not be in it when you work so hard,” said Flanagan, running in her third marathon ever. “I don’t think Kara and I have dedicated ourselves more to anything in our life than to this race. So it’s a little heart-breaking. We knew this course was going to be hard but I think it beat us up for sure.”

Flanagan was the bronze medalist in the 10,000 meters at the 2008 Olympics but felt the need to expand her running parameters. She trained for a while in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., earlier this year to try to sharpen her conditioning via altitude and rugged terrain.

The course in London took place along city streets that weaved in and around landmarks such as Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square.

Both Americans were among the pack of leaders for a majority of the race. But by the 18th mile, Flanagan had drifted to seventh place, 11 seconds off the pace. Goucher had dropped even farther away, 30 seconds from the lead and fading from medal contention.

“I just couldn’t match it. It was kind of like a slow death,” Goucher said.

Gelana broke the Olympic record by six seconds, taking the lead ahead of Jeptoo on a turn at the fountain outside Buckingham Palace. Jeptoo finished five second behind Gelana.

Russia’s Tatyana Petrova Arkhipova won the bronze medal with a time of 2:23:29.

The women’s marathon debuted as an Olympic event in 1984. Joan Benoit Samuelson won it that year, and there has been only one other medalist for the U.S. (Deena Kastor, bronze, 2004).

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