Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, April 15, 1991 TAG: 9104150031
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: BOSTON LENGTH: Medium
Yet, the two thirtysomething mothers of two will be at the starting line for today's 95th Boston Marathon, trying to demonstrate they still are among the sport's elite.
Even though they are the two fastest women marathoners ever, their running careers have taken opposite directions in recent years and their goals for today also are different.
While both are making comebacks after having their second child last year, Kristiansen, the world record-holder, is favored to win her third Boston title. Samuelson, the American record-holder and also a two-time Boston champion, merely is hoping to perform well.
Just their presence, however, adds much class to a high-profile women's field that also includes Wanda Panfil of Poland, Uta Pippig of Germany and Kim Jones of the United States.
The men's field is deeper also, with the front line including favorite Douglas Wakiihuri of Kenya, the 1987 world champion; Boston champions Ibrahim Hussein of Kenya (1988) and Abebe Mekonnen of Ethiopia (1989); three-time Boston runner-up Juma Ikangaa of Tanzania, and 1984 Olympic silver medalist John Treacy of Ireland.
The second tier of men's runners includes Americans Ed Eyestone and Geoff Smith, the 1984-85 Boston champion; Mexicans Alejandro Cruz and Salvador Garcia; Tanzanian brothers Simon Robert and Thomas Robert Naali; Brazilian Osmiro Silva, and Ecuadorian Rolando Vera.
Then, there is Johnny Kelley, the 83-year-old medical marvel, another two-time winner (1935 and 1945), who will be starting his 60th Boston Marathon.
Kristiansen, 35, still is regarded as the No. 1 women's marathoner, even though she hasn't run the 26-mile, 385-yard distance since November 1989, when she won at New York.
That long absence, caused by the birth of her daughter Marte last Aug. 1, has forced Kristiansen to lower her goals. Instead of attempting to break the 2-hour, 20-minute barrier, as she often has tried, she is modestly hoping to get under 2:25.
That she thinks will be good enough to win, since no other woman in the field has run faster.
"I feel stronger than ever," said Kristiansen, who set the women's world record of 2:21:06 at London in April 1985 and has not lost a marathon since being beaten by Samuelson at Chicago in October 1985.
Samuelson, 33, meanwhile, has not won a marathon since that victory over Kristiansen in 2:21:21, the American record.
Injuries, illnesses and her two pregnancies - her second child, a son, Anders, was born in February 1990 - have combined to rob Samuelson of the skills that carried her to Boston victories in 1979 and 1983 and to the gold medal in the first women's Olympic marathon in 1984. She has not run a marathon since finishing ninth at Boston in 1989 in a race won by Kristiansen.
by CNB