Runyan with Weak Eyes Wins Fifth Place

Marla Runyan (34 years old, USA), marathon runner with her weak eyes, made a success in her second challenge to full running course at the Boston Marathon Race in 2003.

In the women’s race of 42,195 km at 107th Boston Marathon Race held on April 22 in Boston in the U.S., Marla Runyan won the victory of being the fifth place with the record of 2 hours 30 minutes and 28 seconds despite the muscle convulsions on her leg. The fifth place that she achieved is the best result in ten years in the U.S. since Kim Jones marked the second place at the 1993 race.

Even if her record of this time was not better than the record at New York marathon on Nov. 2002 (2 hours 27 minutes 10 seconds), which was her first race, yet it was excellent record in considering of such a hot weather, which was over 20 degrees.

The professionals commented that her record was extraordinary considering that she turned directions to avoid the obstacles by the help of guide on the bike while she was running.

Marla Runyan has only 10% of normal eyesight and she can see things only within 4.5m because she suffered from malfunctioned eye retina, ‘Stargard’ disease.

From the teenage, she started to run a race of medium or long distance for the disabled people. She won the eighth place in women’s race of 1,500m at Sydney Olympic in 2000.

Robert Cheruiyot (2 hours 10 minutes 11 minutes) from Kenya won the first place in men`s race and Svetlena zakharova (2 hours 25 minutes 20 seconds) from Russia in women`s race.

Yeong-Tae Kim yeongtae@donga.com