Tweet
just screwed up.
ATHENS, Greece(AP) Stefano Baldini of Italy took the lead two miles from the finish to win the Olympic marathon gold medal Sunday and American Meb Keflezighi won a surprise silver in a race disrupted by a costumed intruder who grabbed a runner and pushed him into the crowd. With three miles to go, Vanderlei Lima of Brazil was clinging to a shrinking lead when he was shoved to the curb by a man dressed in green beret, red kilt and knee-high green socks.
Lima was able to get back into the race, but he lost several more seconds and ended up with bronze.
The 29-year-old Keflezighi, who emigrated from the African nation of Eritrea at age 10, is the first American to medal in the men's marathon since Frank Shorter's silver in 1976. Deena Kastor won the bronze in the women's marathon a week ago, marking the first time the United States had won two marathon medals at the same Olympics.
"U.S.A. running is back," Keflezighi said. "Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Coming in I was not a favorite, I'm just very happy to win a silver."
Lima drew big cheers from the crowd at the finish line in Panthinaiko Stadium _ the beautiful marble structure that was the site of the first modern Olympics 108 years ago. He smiled broadly, spread his arms like wings and weaved from side to side as he crossed the line.
Later, he said the incident cost him the gold medal. But a protest filed by the Brazilian track federation asking that Lima be given a duplicate gold was denied.
"When I saw the man who was jumping on me I was scared, because I didn't know what could happen to me, whether he was armed with a knife, a revolver or something and whether he was going to kill me," Lima said. "It was a very difficult incident because I was very concentrated, knowing I was going to win, and it cut my rhythm."
Baldini finished in 2 hours, 10 minutes and 54 seconds. He waved his hands in celebration, then dropped to his knees in exhaustion after his final lap on the narrow track inside the stadium. The 33-year-old Italian is the former European marathon champion and two-time world marathon silver medalist.
ATHENS, Greece(AP) Stefano Baldini of Italy took the lead two miles from the finish to win the Olympic marathon gold medal Sunday and American Meb Keflezighi won a surprise silver in a race disrupted by a costumed intruder who grabbed a runner and pushed him into the crowd. With three miles to go, Vanderlei Lima of Brazil was clinging to a shrinking lead when he was shoved to the curb by a man dressed in green beret, red kilt and knee-high green socks.
Lima was able to get back into the race, but he lost several more seconds and ended up with bronze.
The 29-year-old Keflezighi, who emigrated from the African nation of Eritrea at age 10, is the first American to medal in the men's marathon since Frank Shorter's silver in 1976. Deena Kastor won the bronze in the women's marathon a week ago, marking the first time the United States had won two marathon medals at the same Olympics.
"U.S.A. running is back," Keflezighi said. "Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Coming in I was not a favorite, I'm just very happy to win a silver."
Lima drew big cheers from the crowd at the finish line in Panthinaiko Stadium _ the beautiful marble structure that was the site of the first modern Olympics 108 years ago. He smiled broadly, spread his arms like wings and weaved from side to side as he crossed the line.
Later, he said the incident cost him the gold medal. But a protest filed by the Brazilian track federation asking that Lima be given a duplicate gold was denied.
"When I saw the man who was jumping on me I was scared, because I didn't know what could happen to me, whether he was armed with a knife, a revolver or something and whether he was going to kill me," Lima said. "It was a very difficult incident because I was very concentrated, knowing I was going to win, and it cut my rhythm."
Baldini finished in 2 hours, 10 minutes and 54 seconds. He waved his hands in celebration, then dropped to his knees in exhaustion after his final lap on the narrow track inside the stadium. The 33-year-old Italian is the former European marathon champion and two-time world marathon silver medalist.
Comment