The Hindu : Lee Bong-Ju wins marathon gold

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 16, 2002

Sport

Sport - Asian Games

Lee Bong-Ju wins marathon gold

By K. P. Mohan

A beaming Lee Bong-Ju of Korea who won the gold in the marathon event on the concluding day of the 14th Asian Games in Busan on Monday. — Photo: V. Sudershan

BUSAN OCT 15. Winning a marathon in front of home fans is always special. Korean Lee Bong-Ju experienced that moment hours before the closing ceremony of the 14th Asian Games began at the main stadium on Monday.

The Korean won it for the second time in a row, always sure of himself right from the start in a field of just 15 runners. Only Tajikstan's Sergei Zabavski failed to finish.

This was always going to be a battle between the Koreans and the Japanese. Lee Bong-Ju, as has been his record, looked the better-prepared among the four front-runners.

The others in the pack that broke away past the 15km mark were Japanese Koji Shimizu, the eventual bronze winner, the other Japanese, Ryuji Takei, the bronze winner, and the second Korean, Lim Jin-Soo.

Past the 20km mark, Lee Bong-Ju started pulling away from the rest and though Takei, at first, and then Shimizu kept tabs on him, it was impossible to keep up the pace after some time.

Into the 35th kilometre, Lee Bong-Ju must have realised that it was time to go and he pulled away decisively for an easy victory, finishing nearly 1,000 metres ahead of Shimizu.

Lee Bong-Ju, winner of the Boston marathon last year, clocked 2 hours 14 minutes 4 seconds, while Shimzu timed 2:17:47.

``I am still strong enough to continue for a few more years,'' said the 32-year-old Lee Bong-Ju. The Korean said that he had plans to compete in the World championships next year and the Olympics in Athens in 2004.

``By keeping such plans in my mind I am able to motivate myself,'' said Lee Bong-Ju.

He said that the cheering Busan residents, who had lined up across some of the routes had motivated him through the run. But the stadium was hardly filled up when he entered, though the Korean did receive a standing ovation.

The end produced a drama often enacted in a marathon. This one looked tragic at times, heroic on other occasions and simply agonising much of the time. Myanmar's Zaw Min Htwe was bent and wretching through the final 400 metres as he stopped, stuttered and started again to finally finish in 13th place just ahead of East Timor's Xavier Do Rogo who was last.

The results: 1. Lee Bong-Ju (Kor) 2:14:04, 2. Koji Shimizu (Jpn) 2:17:47, 3.Ryuji Takaei (Jpn) 2:18:38, 4.Lim Jin-Soo (Kor) 2:21:08, 5.Foaad Ali Abubaker (Qat) 2:25:27, 6. Roy Vence (Phi) 2:28:51, 7.Jumah Omar Al-Noor (Qat) 2:30:11, 8. Arjun Kumar Basnet (Nep) 2:28:23.

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