New Records Set at Seoul International Marathon

The best record in a domestic competition was set in the 2004 Seoul International Marathon Competition and the 75th Dong-A Marathon Competition (co-sponsored by Dong-A Ilbo, Seoul City, the Korea Amateur Athletic Federation and the Dong-A Marathon Ggumnamu Foundation). Gert Tyse (33-year-old, South Africa) achieved a second consecutive victory with a finish in two hours seven minutes and six seconds in the 42.195km’s full-course race, starting at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Kwanghwa Gate at 8:00 a.m. on March 14, and finishing at Jamsil Stadium.

Tyse’s record is one minute 19 seconds earlier than the two hours eight minutes and 25 second time in which Martin Peis (Spain) finished in the 1996 Dong-A Gyeongju International Marathon. In addition, second place William Kipsang (27-year-old, two hours seven minutes 43 seconds), third place Umbarek Husein (39 years old, two hours eight minutes 10 seconds, Kenya), fourth place Tepheri Wadajo (22 years old, two hours eight minutes 11 seconds, Ethiopia) and fifth place Lee Bong-joo (34 years old, two hours eight minutes 15 seconds, Samsung Electronics) set new domestic competition records.

In women’s group, a newcomer, Lee Eun-jeong (23 years old, Chungnam Provincial Government) passed the finish line with a second best record of a Korean, two hours 26 minutes 17 seconds, beating Werknesi Tola (24 years old, Ethiopia) by five seconds.

Lee’s record was behind the best record (two hours 26 minutes 12 seconds) which Kwon Eun-joo made in 1997, but set her own personal record (two hours 32 minutes 55 seconds) six minutes 38 seconds faster than she had run only four months ago, revealing her positive prospects for the Athens Olympics this August.

In the men’s masters, Japanese Mukai Dakaaki (24 years old) took first place with a two hour 23 minutes five seconds finish, moving up the domestic masters’ best record by two minutes 28 seconds. In the women’s, Moon Ki-sook (46 years old) took first place with a time of two hours 49 minutes 16 seconds, accomplishing her third consecutive win.

The competition, which was sponsored by Seoul City, was filled by 12,356 participants.

Jong-Koo Yang yjongk@donga.com