Sports

Kenya Wins its First Men's Marathon with Sammy Wansiru and Breaks the Olympic Record!

by Christina 123 | August 23, 2008 at 06:00 pm

494 views | 17 Recommendations | 5 comments

Kenya's Sammy Wansiru beat the world today in the Men's Marathon through Beijing, as the Games draw to an end, in a time of 2:06:32 with the Moroccan, Jaoard Gharib, +7.50 behind, and in third, Tsegay Kebede of Ethiopia in 2 hours 10 minutes exactly. It is the first time a Kenyan has won the event.

Britain's Dan Robinson came in at 21st just three minutes outside his life-time personal best.

The proud medallists collected their medals as part of the traditional finale of the Closing Ceremony, which included the Greek flag bearer arriving first, the Greek national anthem played and honouring marathon running as being as ancient as the Olympic torch.

The Kenyan, aged just 21 years, won the toughest race on the Olympic program in a time of 2hr 06min 32sec, breaking the Olympic record set by Carlos Lopes of Portugal at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles by 2min 49sec.

Wansiru, who was running just his third marathon after contesting his first nine months ago, gave Kenya, the spiritual home of distance running, its first Olympic victory in the event.

Jaouad Gharib of Morocco finished second, also finishing inside the previous Olympic record, in a time of 2min 07min 16sec, while Tsegay Kebede of Ethiopia won the bronze in 2min 10min 00sec.

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Paschen

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 19:56 on August 23rd, 2008

Christina 123, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Good for Kenya.

Christina 123

at 03:04 on August 24th, 2008

Thanks, Paschen! Ot is always nice to see a developing country do well. I like the Kenyan long distance runners so much, they make it look so easy and always good-naturedly and with a big smile on their face . This is what the Olynpic Games are about!