USA: ATHLETICS - RECORD WIN FOR TESFAYE JIFAR OF ETHIOPIA IN WOMEN'S SECTION OF NEW YORK MARATHON

Record ID: 646805

  • Title: USA: ATHLETICS - RECORD WIN FOR TESFAYE JIFAR OF ETHIOPIA IN WOMEN'S SECTION OF NEW YORK MARATHON
  • Date: 8th November 2001
  • Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES(NOVEMBER 4TH, 2001) (REUTERS) 1. FIREMAN AND POLICEMAN LEAD MARATHON ROUTE IN AUTOMOBILE 2. POLICE HELICOPTER TRACKING LEADERS 3. 1ST PLACE MEN'S WINNER TESFAYE JLFAR - ETHIOPIA RUNNING LAST MILE 4. PRESS CONFERENCE AFTER RACE-MEN'S WINNERS 5. (SOUNDBITE) (Ethiopian) JLFAR TRANSLATED BY INTERPRETER SAYS "I never knew that an Ethiopian has never won New York, but I just ran, did my best and I won." 6. 2ND PLACE FINISHER JAPHET KOSGEI-KENYA RUNNING LAST MILE 7. (SOUNDBITE) (KENYAN) SECOND PLACE KOSGEI SAYING: "So last time I was two hours twelve and this time two hours nine minutes, so when I go back home to apply all my finals touches than I will be happy." 8. ZOOM IN TO WOMEN'S WINNER MARGARET OKAYO OF KENYA SEATED AT PRESS CONFERENCE 9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) WOMEN'S WINNER MARGARET OKAYO SAYING: "I did not know I was to break the record, I just wanted to push so I could finish. I was impressed when I finished that i got teh course record." 10. MARATHON RUNNERS 11. MARATHONERS Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 23rd November 2001 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVADDGPTTGS9NTCX36CZI3TX1ECD
  • Story Text: Tesfaye Jifar of Ethiopia set a record in winning the
    New York City Marathon Sunday. Margaret Okayo of
    Kenya was the women's winner.

    Tesfaye Jifar of Ethiopia and Margaret Okayo of Kenya
    ran the fastest-ever New York City Marathons in an emotional
    32nd running of the race through all five boroughs of the city
    on Sunday (November 4).

    The tight security for the race, with some 25,000 runners,
    took nothing away from the event, which this year was dubbed
    "United We Run" and dedicated to the victims of the September
    11 attacks and the efforts of rescue workers.

    Cheered on by crowds estimated at more than two million,
    many waving small American flags in memory of the thousands
    killed in the attacks on the World Trade Center on September
    11, Jifar and Okayo were in record form on a sunny, cool day.

    Jifar, who lost the sight in his right eye when he was
    kicked by a bull on his family farm at age 12, put on a burst
    with about three miles to go to leave Japhet Kosgei of Kenya
    behind and win the race in 2 hours, 7 minutes, 43 seconds.

    It marked the first marathon victory for the 25-year-old,
    who was seventh at this year's world championships, and earned
    the Ethiopian a first prize of $80,000, a $50,000 bonus for
    breaking the course record, and a new car.

    The previous best time was 2:08:01 set by Juma Ikangaa of
    Tanzania in 1989.

    "I am proud to be the first Ethiopian to win this race,"
    said Jifar, who ran a scorching 2:06:49 in finishing second at
    the Amsterdam Marathon in 1999.

    Kosgei, 33, repeated his runner-up finish of a year ago by
    registering a time of 2:09:19, 32 seconds ahead of Rodgers Rop
    of Kenya. Silvio Guerra of Ecuador was fourth in 2:10:36.

    Okayo surged into the lead just after the halfway point
    and never looked back after crossing the Queensboro Bridge to
    reach Manhattan as she won the women's race in 2:24:21, 19
    seconds faster than the 1992 mark set by Australian Lisa
    Ondieki.

    "A lot of people cheered me on," said Okayo. "American
    people cheering me helped me run fast and made me very happy."
    The 25-year-old Okayo, who earlier this year won the Rock
    'N' Roll Marathon in San Diego after finishing third in last
    year's New York event, claimed the top prize of $80,000, a
    bonus of $35,000 for setting a course record, and a new car.

    Susan Chepkemei of Kenya sprinted past Svetlana Zakharova
    in the final metres to claim second place ahead of the
    Russian.

    Faster times had been expected after a course alteration
    this year, which had the runners entering the final stretch in
    Central Park at 90th Street rather than 102nd Street, taking a
    tough hill out of the route.

    The race, which was run under heavy security but went off
    without a hitch, served as the U.S. national championships
    this year with a first place prize of $15,000.


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