Wanjiru sets Olympic record to win marathon gold for Kenya
Sunday, 24 Aug 2008 09:24
Wanjiru got a standing ovation from the Bird's Nest crowd
Sammy Wanjiru has won Kenya's first ever Olympic gold medal for the men's marathon after leading throughout the race.
Wanjiru set a new Olympic record despite the tough conditions and his speed and strength was eventually too much for his opponents as he cruised to victory by over a minute.
Kenyan team-mate Martin Lel was the pre-race favourite and the pair controlled things from the front as a lead group of around eight athletes led following a quick first 5km which took 14mins 52secs.
Lel has won the last four London marathon's while Wanjiru was runner-up this year. They completed the first half of the race in 62 minutes but showed no sings of tiring.
However, with a few kilometres remaining Lel dropped off the leading group, leaving Wanjiru, Morocco's Jaouad Gharib and Ethiopian Tsegay Kebede to contest the medals.
Wanjiru kicked again with 1km to go and was able to enter the Bird's Nest Stadium on his own. Having waved to the crowd throughout the final lap the Kenyan crossed the line in a time of two hours six minutes and 32 seconds.
Gharib beat Kebede for the silver medal, finishing 84 seconds behind the winner.