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NYC Marathon Runners with Multiple Wins and Marathon Winners by Country

Oct 31

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Grete Waitz Won an Unfathomable Nine New York City Marathons

Grete Waitz Won an Unfathomable Nine New York City Marathons

Grete Waitz of Norway has won the New York City Marathon more than anyone else. She did it nine times, dominating the late 1970′s and 1980′s. This may fall under “unbreakable record.”

The UK’s Paula Radcliffe won it three times.

They join the USA’s Bill Rodgers (4) and Alberto Salazar (3) on the men’s side as the only runners to win the race at least three times.

Five other women, and six other men, have won the NYC Marathon twice, making 15 runners all together with multiple marathon wins.

MEN

1. Bill Rodgers 4 USA 1976 2:10:10
        1977 2:11:28
        1978 2:12:12
        1979 2:11:42
2. Alberto Salazar 3 USA 1980 2:09:41
        1981 2:08:13
        1982 2:09:29
3. Tom Fleming 2 USA 1973 2:21:54
        1975 2:19:27
3. John Kagwe 2 Kenya 1997 2:08:12
        1998 2:08:45
3. Martin Lel 2 Kenya 2003 2:10:30
        2007 2:09:04
3. Orlando Pizzolato 2 Italy 1984 2:14:53
        1985 2:11:34
3. Germán Silva 2 Mexico 1994 2:11:21
        1995 2:11:00
3. Marílson Gomes dos Santos 2 Brazil 2006 2:09:58
        2008 2:08:43

WOMEN

1. Grete Waitz 9 Norway 1978 2:32:30
        1979 2:27:33
        1980 2:25:42
        1982 2:27:14
        1983 2:27:00
        1984 2:29:30
        1985 2:28:34
        1986 2:28:06
        1988 2:28:07
2. Paula Radcliffe 3 United Kingdom 2004 2:23:10
        2007 2:23:09
        2008 2:23:56
3. Nina Kuscsik 2 USA 1972 3:08:41
        1973 2:57:07
3. Miki Gorman 2 USA 1976 2:39:11
        1977 2:43:10
3. Tegla Loroupe 2 Kenya 1994 2:27:37
        1995 2:28:06
3. Margaret Okayo 2 Kenya 2001 2:24:21
        2003 2:22:31
3. Jelena Prokopcuka 2 Latvia 2005 2:24:41
        2006 2:25:05

The NYC Marathon made its debut in 1970. An American won the first 12 races on the men’s side, and the first seven on the women’s side.

The U.S. men still hold the most marathon wins with 14, but this is a record destined to fall as the country’s early dominance was a factor of a relatively tiny, and less international, field.

Thanks to Grete Waitz, Norway has the most NYC Marathon winners on the women’s side with 10.

But look out for the Kenyans and Ethiopians on both sides. Here they come.

MEN

  COUNTRY YEAR WINNER TIME
           
1. United States 14 1970  Gary Muhrcke  2:31:38 
      1971  Norman Higgins  2:22:54 
      1972  Sheldon Karlin  2:27:52 
      1973  Tom Fleming  2:21:54 
      1974  Norbert Sander  2:26:30 
      1975  Tom Fleming  2:19:27 
      1976  Bill Rodgers  2:10:10 
      1977  Bill Rodgers  2:11:28 
      1978  Bill Rodgers  2:12:12 
      1979  Bill Rodgers  2:11:42 
      1980  Alberto Salazar  2:09:41 
      1981  Alberto Salazar  2:08:13 
      1982  Alberto Salazar  2:09:29 
      2009  Meb Keflezighi  2:09:15 
           
2. Kenya 10 1987  Ibrahim Hussein  2:11:01 
      1990  Douglas Wakiihuri  2:12:39 
      1997  John Kagwe  2:08:12 
      1998  John Kagwe  2:08:45 
      1999  Joseph Chebet  2:09:14 
      2002  Rodgers Rop  2:08:07 
      2003  Martin Lel  2:10:30 
      2005  Paul Tergat  2:09:30 
      2007  Martin Lel  2:09:04 
      2011  Geoffrey Mutai  2:05:06 
           
3. Italy 4 1984  Orlando Pizzolato  2:14:53 
      1985  Orlando Pizzolato  2:11:34 
      1986  Gianni Poli  2:11:06 
      1996  Giacomo Leone  2:09:54 
           
3. Mexico 4 1991  Salvador García  2:09:28 
      1993  Andrés Espinosa  2:10:04 
      1994  Germán Silva  2:11:21 
      1995  Germán Silva  2:11:00 
           
5. Brazil 2 2006  Marílson Gomes dos Santos  2:09:58 
      2008  Marílson Gomes dos Santos  2:08:43 
           
5. Ethiopia 2 2001  Tesfaye Jifar  2:07:43 
      2010  Gebregziabher Gebremariam  2:08:14 
           
5. South Africa 2 1992  Willie Mtolo  2:09:29 
      2004  Hendrick Ramaala  2:09:28 
           
8. Morocco 1 2000  Abdelkader El Mouaziz  2:10:09 
           
8. New Zealand 1 1983  Rod Dixon  2:08:59 
           
8. Tanzania 1 1989  Juma Ikangaa  2:08:01 
           
8. United Kingdom 1 1988  Steve Jones  2:08:20 

WOMEN

  COUNTRY YEAR WINNER TIME
           
1. Norway 10 1978  Grete Waitz  2:32:30 
      1979  Grete Waitz  2:27:33 
      1980  Grete Waitz  2:25:42 
      1982  Grete Waitz  2:27:14 
      1983  Grete Waitz  2:27:00 
      1984  Grete Waitz  2:29:30 
      1985  Grete Waitz  2:28:34 
      1986  Grete Waitz  2:28:06 
      1988  Grete Waitz  2:28:07 
      1989  Ingrid Kristiansen  2:25:30 
           
2. United States 7 1971  Beth Bonner  2:55:22 
      1972  Nina Kuscsik  3:08:41 
      1973  Nina Kuscsik  2:57:07 
      1974  Kathrine Switzer  3:07:29 
      1975  Kim Merritt  2:46:14 
      1976  Miki Gorman  2:39:11 
      1977  Miki Gorman  2:43:10 
           
3. Kenya 6 1994  Tegla Loroupe  2:27:37 
      1995  Tegla Loroupe  2:28:06 
      2001  Margaret Okayo  2:24:21 
      2002  Joyce Chepchumba  2:25:56 
      2003  Margaret Okayo  2:22:31 
      2010  Edna Kiplagat  2:28:20 
           
4. United Kingdom 5 1987  Priscilla Welch  2:30:17 
      1991  Liz McColgan  2:27:32 
      2004  Paula Radcliffe  2:23:10 
      2007  Paula Radcliffe  2:23:09 
      2008  Paula Radcliffe  2:23:56 
           
5. Ethiopia 2 2009  Derartu Tulu  2:28:52 
      2011  Firehiwot Dado  2:23:15 
           
5. Latvia 2 2005  Jelena Prokopcuka  2:24:41 
      2006  Jelena Prokopcuka  2:25:05 
           
7. Australia 1 1992  Lisa Ondieki  2:24:40 
           
7. Germany 1 1993  Uta Pippig  2:26:24 
           
7. Italy 1 1998  Franca Fiacconi  2:25:17 
           
7. Mexico 1 1999  Adriana Fernandez  2:25:06 
           
7. New Zealand 1 1981  Allison Roe  2:25:29 
           
7. Poland 1 1990  Wanda Panfil  2:30:45 
           
7. Romania 1 1996  Anuta Catuna 2:28:18 
           
7. Russia 1 2000  Lyudmila Petrova  2:25:45 
           
7. Switzerland 1 1997  Franziska Rochat-Moser  2:28:43 

Photo: guardian.co.uk

Posted in Track and Field

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Summer Olympics: Top 20 Countries with the Most Gold Medals in a Single Year

Aug 11

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The 1984 U.S. Olympic Team Won the Most Gold Medals

The 1984 U.S. Olympic Team Won the Most Gold Medals

So what’s the best way to win a mongo trove of gold medals?

Eliminate the competition.

In 1980 and 1984, the Cold War led to tit-for-tat superpower boycotts. After the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in late 1979, the US and several other countries boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics. The Soviets and 13 of their satellite nations returned the favor in 1984, skipping Los Angeles.

The result?

The top two gold medal hoards in history, with the US minting 83 in ’84, and the Soviet Union 80 in ’80.

The third biggest looting occurred back in St. Louis in 1904, when the US grabbed a solid 76 gold medals. Then again, only 15 countries participated that year, the lowest number since the first games in 1896 Athens.

Those three tallies are on the right end of the Olympic gold medal bell curve.

In the middle, though, most of the best gold medal years fall in the 40-55 range, and it looks like the same thing is happening again at the 2012 London Games.

The USA and China, who came on strong in Beijing, are sitting at 41 and 37 gold medals apiece as of this posting with more than a handful of tin to still give out.

Follow me on Twitter @VinGetz.

  YEAR HOST COUNTRY GOLD MEDALS
1. 1984 Los Angeles United States 83
2. 1980 Moscow Soviet Union 80
3. 1904 St. Louis United States 76
4. 1908 London Great Britain 56
5. 1988 Seoul Soviet Union 55
6. 2008 Beijing China 51
7. 1972 Munich Soviet Union 50
8. 1976 Montreal Soviet Union 49
9. 1980 Moscow East Germany 47
10. 1992 Barcelona Unified Team 45
10. 1968 Mexico City United States 45
10. 1924 Paris United States 45
13. 1996 Atlanta United States 44
13. 1932 Los Angeles United States 44
15. 1960 Rome Soviet Union 43
16. 1920 Antwerp United States 41
17. 1976 Montreal East Germany 40
17. 1952 Helsinki United States 40
19. 1948 London United States 38
19. 1936 Berlin Germany 38

Photo: vh1.com

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Summer Olympics: Top 20 Countries with the Most Medals in a Single Year

Aug 10

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The 60 Meter Dash at the 1904 St. Louis Olympics

The 60 Meter Dash at the 1904 St. Louis Olympics

The 1904 St. Louis Olympics hosted only 15 teams, and the United States ran away with 231, or 80% of the available, medals. That’s the biggest cache ever, and likely will be, as more and more countries have joined the event every four years.

The 2012 London Olympics boasts hosting 204 countries, the most all-time. They’re including territories like the U.S. Virgin Islands, as the total number of recognized sovereign polities is, by most sources, 196.

Either way, obviously all that competition spreads the precious metal wealth.

The superpower-boycotted years (1980, 1984) produced the same results, with the non-boycotter in each case raiding the IOC’s treasure chest.

Here are the top 20 greatest hauls in Olympic history.

From about No. 4 on the list down, things are pretty legit, with more balanced competition amongst the participants, or at least the dominating ones.

Tomorrow we’ll take a look at the Top 20 Countries with the Most Gold Medals in a Single Year.

Follow me on Twitter @VinGetz.

YEAR HOST CITY MEDAL LEADERS MEDALS
1. 1904 St. Louis USA 231
2. 1980 Moscow Soviet Union 195
3. 1984 Los Angeles USA 174
4. 1908 London Great Britain 146
5. 1988 Seoul Soviet Union 132
6. 1980 Moscow East Germany 126
7. 1976 Montreal Soviet Union 125
8. 1992 Barcelona Unified* 112
9. 2008 Beijing USA 110
9. 1932 Los Angeles USA 110
11. 1992 Barcelona USA 108
12. 1968 Mexico City USA 107
13. 1960 Rome Soviet Union 103
13. 1900 Paris France 103
15. 2004 Athens USA 102
15. 1988 Seoul East Germany 102
17. 1996 Atlanta USA 101
17. 1936 Berlin Germany 101
19. 2008 Beijing China 100
20. 1972 Munich Soviet Union 99
20. 1924 Paris USA 99

Photo: chiefwritingwolf.com

Posted in Olympics

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