Two time New York marathon champion Martin Lel has been inducted in the Hall of Fame today in New York ahead of New York City marathon set for Sunday.
The legendary Kenyan runner was celebrated by race organisers, the New York Road Runners, earning the “Abebe Bikila Award” for dominating marathon running in the 2000s, winning here twice, in 2003 and 2007.
The three time London marathon champion (2005, 2007 and 2008) wil;l usher in the 2018 New York City Marathon where Kenya has lined up five athletes, namely defending champion Geoffrey Kamworor, last year’s London Marathon champion Daniel Wanjiru and two time Eindhoven Marathon winner Festus Talam in the men’s division with two-time winner here Mary Keitany lining up with London Marathon champion and Olympic track gold medallist Vivian Cheruiyot in the women’s race.
He was inducted into the respected Hall of Fame alongside other top achievers at the “Big Apple” Deena Kastor (USA), Edith Wolf Hunkeler (Switzerland) and Allison Roe (New Zealand).
New York City Marathon director Peter Ciaccia was also recognised for his work with journalist and former runner Don Kardong receiving the George Hirsch Journalism Award for his outstanding contribution to athletics.
Kastor holds the American record in four events, including the marathon, and was seventh in her New York City Marathon in 2001, clocking 2:26:58.
Hunkelar won the women’s wheelchair race here five times in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009, tying with Tatyana McFadden and Kurt Fearnley as athletes with most wins in this division.
Roe won the 1981 Boston Marathon, shaving four minutes off the course record and beat favourite Grete Waitz to win the New York City Marathon the same year in 2:25:29, 13 seconds faster than the world record at the time set by Waitz the previous year.
Source: Daily Nation