Athletics: Wami wins fresh bite at Big Apple
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Asked whether Jo Pavey had given her a hard time in the 13.1-mile half-marathon that boiled down to a sprint in the final 200 metres of the Great North Run yesterday, Gete Wami dealt with the query as summarily as she had ultimately done with her rivals. "No," she replied unblinkingly, without further elaboration. Well, it has been a week for frankness on the sporting front here on Tyneside.
It was harsh on Pavey, who had towed the Ethiopian back on to the coat-tails of Kenya's Magdelane Mukunzi on the mile and a bit stretch to the finish line along the seafront, and whose consolation for finishing third in the three-way charge for the line was a personal best of 68min 53sec – a time that has been bettered by only three Britons (Paula Radcliffe, Liz McColgan and Mara Yamauchi). Wami, though, has another British athlete in her sights. She is gunning for revenge against Radcliffe in the New York City Marathon on 2 November.
In the Big Apple last year Radcliffe emerged victorious against the woman who was her long time nemesis. This time Wami intends to make sure it is different. Unlike Radcliffe, the 35-year-old now has a confidence-boosting win under her belt following the disappointment of the Olympic marathon seven weeks ago. Wami dropped out before the 20-mile mark in Beijing, suffering from a stomach bug. Radcliffe, of course, got to the finish in the "Bird's Nest" but with a calf muscle in spasm and in 23rd place. "I am surprised that Paula is running in New York," Wami said, "but I am glad that she will be. I like a hard race and with Paula I get a hard race."
As for Pavey, she has her sights set on a debut marathon, possibly in Osaka in January or London in April.
Behind Pavey, the Scot Hayley Haining clocked a personal best in sixth place, 70:53.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments