Paula Radcliffe hadn’t run a marathon in nearly two years, hadn’t braved 26.2 miles since giving birth in January. But yesterday one of the greatest marathoner in history out-kicked rival Gete Wami over the final third of a mile, draping a Union Jack over her shoulder and clutching daughter Isla in her arm, celebrating another New York City Marathon crown.
Radcliffe and Wami have been racing each other for 15 years, trading final kicks and titles since they were teens. Yesterday they ran almost the entire race alone with Radcliffe leading and her small Ethiopian rival in her shadow and off her hip, before finally breaking her in Central Park for a 2:23.09 victory she earned the hard way.
“I love this. I really enjoyed being back racing and winning marathons. It felt like old times, me and Gete,” said Radcliffe, who’s done nothing but win marathons. She’s entered eight and won every one but the Athens Olympics, when health issues forced her to drop out. She came back to win New York 11 weeks later, and made another victorious return here yesterday.
But Wami was no easy foe. Wami out-kicked Radcliffe to win the 1999 world championship 10,000-meters, the 2001 world cross country championship short race and the Olympic 10,000 in Sydney. Wami finally made her move just past Columbus Circle, with 800 meters to go.
But the five-foot, 99-pound Wami was running 35 days after winning the Berlin Marathon, when conventional wisdom suggests five months of recovery time, not five weeks. When she made her bid, Radcliffe answered it, her distinctive head bob going full strength as she pulled away over the final 500 meters.
“I’ve been there so many times with Gete on my shoulder coming into the final 400 meters. I was thinking this is my turn. This is the marathon,” Radcliffe said. “I know she can finish fast. That’s nerve-wracking, but it’s different sprinting at the end of a marathon to just going down to the track and running 400 meters. Experience helped me there.”
Clearly. This was their first marathon meeting, and the 33-year-old British runner has run a world-record 2:15.25 and won every one she’s finished.
“I’m proud of that,” said Radcliffe, after her first marathon since the 2005 World Championship. “I’ve found my event in the marathon. That helps me dictate the end of a race. I do have pride and I’m not going to let someone beat me.”
Radcliffe earned $170,000 and Wami finished in 2:23.32 to earn $100,000 plus another $500,000 as winner of the inaugural World Marathon Majors Series.
“(Berlin) did make a difference. When Paula made her move, I found it difficult to catch up. At that point, I was feeling some stomach ache. I was nauseous. I tried to pass her, but she was just too strong,” said Wami, who held Isla after the race. “I love kids. I have one of my own. When I saw Paula’s child, I felt attached. I felt love for her. I just wanted to hug and kiss her. I felt happy that it was Paula’s child. It was just instinct.”
Two-time defending champion Jelena Prokopcuka fell behind by two minutes by the 10-mile mark and 3:33 at Mile 20, finishing third in 2:26:13.