Ath: McCann finishes 31st in marathon

AAP General News (Australia)
08-23-2004
Ath: McCann finishes 31st in marathon

ATHENS, Aug 22 AAP - Australian Kerryn McCann finished 31st in the Olympic women's
marathon, a gruelling race she described as the hardest of her life.

The 29-year-old mother of two said she considered pulling put of the race mid-way through
but, unlike British world record holder Paula Radcliffe, she pushed on to cross the finish
line.

McCann said she was disappointed with her time of two hours, 41.41 minutes and her
31st place finish, but was pleased just to have run the historic race.

An exhausted McCann was overcome with emotion moments after crossing the finish line
at Athens' historic Panathinaiko stadium and broke down in tears.

"It was so hard," she cried.

"I really struggled, it was so hard in the heat at first and then the hills.

"It was the hardest race I've done.

"But it was just so awesome in that last kilometre, finishing in the old stadium.

"It was really awesome to run on the historical course."

Mizuki Noguchi from Japan won the marathon in 2:26:20 ahead of Catherine Ndereba of
Kenya (2:26.32) and American Deena Kastor (2:27:20).

The gold medal favourite Radcliffe pulled out of the marathon with six kilometres to
go when she was in fourth place.

McCann, from Wollongong, was competing at the Olympics 10 months after giving birth
to her second child.

She took a break from running after the 2002 Commonwealth Games, where she won gold,
had a baby girl named Josie, and was back training a month later to be ready for the Olympics.

The runners followed the route from Marathon to Athens used by the soldier Pheidippides
to deliver the news of the Greeks' victory in battle over the Persians in 490BC.

Legend has it that he dropped dead on the spot after delivering the news.

AAP sm/sp

KEYWORD: OLY ATH MARATHON AUST DAYLEAD

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