SPARTATHLON 2002

ATHENS - GREECE, MA, September 27, 2002

SPARTATHLON - 2002 RESULTS

For a story about this race, see SPARTATHLON - 2002 RESULTS.

Japan’s Ryoichi Sekiya wins the 246 Km Spartathlon

Japan’s Ryoichi Sekiya wins the 246 Km Spartathlon

Russia’s Irina Reutovich breaks women’s record.

The 20^th International Spartathlon Ultramarathon was run in Greece during September. 190 runners representing 4 continents and 22 nations left Athens at 07:00 on Friday 27^thand ended at nightfall the following day in Sparta. The race is a reenactment of a run made by the military courier Pheidippedes 2,500 years ago, who according to the historian Herodotus was despatched by the Athenians to seek the help of the Spartans at the impending Battle of Marathon. History simply tells us that Pheidippedes left Athens and that he arrived in Sparta the following day.

In 1982 a group of RAF officers under the leadership of Wing Commander John Foden carried out a feasibility run and proved that the history books were indeed correct and that it was possible to cover the distance as stated. Based on their endeavours an international race was born the following year and has been run at the close of September each year since. In the very first event a then relatively unknown Greek runner, Yiannis Kouros from Tripolis in the Peloponnese came out of nowhere and destroyed the competition. The following year he returned to run an incredible 20:25:00, a record that still stands today for the 246-kilometre (156-mile) distance.

In this years race Japan’s Ryoichi Sekiya finished first in 23:47:54 (23 hours, 47 minutes and 54 seconds). The 35-year-old had taken the lead shortly after the 100-kilometre marker finishing a little over one hour ahead of his closest rival. Markus Thalman from Austria clocked in with 25:16:56 and Jeffry Oonk of the Netherlands finished third with 26:58:55. In the women’s section Russia’s Irina Reutovich, race favourite and record-holder of the 135-mile Badwater Ultra Marathon in the United States finished in 28:10: 48 knocking off 36 minutes and 10 seconds from the previous record held by Sweden’s Mary Larsson. In this outstanding performance, Irina achieved overall fifth position. Second and third places were both taken by Japanese runners, Hiroko Okiyama 30:25:49 and Mayumi Okabe 31:33:35.

The SPARTATHLON begins in central Athens and ends in the provincial Laconian city of Sparta. In order to finish, the runner must complete the course within 36 hours by touching the base of the massive statue of Leonidas, ancient leader of the Spartans, who gazes out over the city against the majestic backdrop of the Taigetos Mountains.

More information about the race can be found at http://spartathlon.webvista.net/

Keith Ledgard (keith_ledgard@hotpop.com)