Athletics: Marathon records fall in emotional New York event

Tesfaye Jifar, 25, became the first Ethiopian to win the New York City marathon yesterday, and he did it in a course record of 2h 7m 43s.

The women's event was also won in a course record, 2h 24m 21s, by Margaret Okayo, of Kenya.

Jifar, who is blind in his right eye, had not set foot on the course before he took part in the 32nd running of the 42km event.

As he crossed the line he dropped to his knees and kissed the ground.

The previous record of 2h 08m 01s was set in 1989 by Juma Ikaangaa, of Tanzania.

Okayo beat the women's record of 2h 24m 40s, by Australian Lisa Ondieki in 1992.

Jifar won $US130,000 ($316,455) plus a car for winning and setting the record.

Kenyans Japhet Kosgei and Rodgers Rop finished second and third respectively.

Jifar, Kosgei and Rop were among the leaders from the 14-mile mark.

Kosgei ran 2h 09m 19s and Rop was 2h 09m 51s.

Fireman Larry Parker and police officer Maggie Maglione raised nearly $US200,000 ($487,448) for charity with their runs.

Parker, 37, and Maglione, 40, started last in the field of 25,000 with the aim of winning a $5 donation from JP Morgan Chase for every runner they passed.

Parker, who completed the race in 3h 14m 36s, finished in 1259th place and passed 23,741 runners, resulting in a $US118,705 donation to the New York Firefighters Widows and Children Fund.

Maglione crossed the finish line in 4h 18m 15s and finished in 10,457th place, passing 14,543 runners, resulting in a $US71,215 donation to the New York Police Widows and Children Fund.

In Greece, Kenyan pacemaker Noah Bor ran away with the Athens marathon in a dream debut at the distance.

On the historic course from the village of Marathon to Athens, the 27-year-old crossed the finish line in 2h 19m 26s. His surprise victory repeated the success of Kenyan pacemakers in the Berlin and Chicago marathons.

Bor beat fellow Kenyan, Frederick Cheruiyot, into second.

Another Kenyan, Elias Chebet, was third and Japan's Hideaki Numajiri finished fourth.

Sonja Krolik-Oberem, of Germany, won the women's race as expected, in 2h 36m 15s.

She was more than four minutes ahead of Albina Ivanova, of Russia, after battling against heavy rain and strong winds which spoiled organisers' hopes of fast times in a race upgraded with the Athens Olympics three years away.

Krolik-Oberem, who was fifth in the world championships in Edmonton in August, said: "Those are the hardest conditions I've ever experienced. It was hell out there."

- AGENCIES