1986 IAAF World Challenge Road Relay

Last updated
1986 IAAF World Challenge Road Relay
Dates30 November 1986
Host city Hiroshima, Japan
LevelSenior
Type Marathon relay
Events2

The 1986 IAAF World Challenge Road Relay was a one-off global, international marathon relay competition, organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). [1] It marked the first time that the IAAF had formally hosted an ekiden competition, and preceded the formation of a world championship event, the IAAF World Road Relay Championships six years later. [2] The event took place on 30 November in Hiroshima, Japan. [3]

Contents

Each men's national team consisted of five athletes and each women's national team consisted of six athletes who alternately covered stages varying between 4.195 and 12.195 kilometres each to complete the 42.195 km marathon distance. The first four stages were of the same length for both sexes, with legs of 10 km, 8 km, 7 km, and 5 km opening the competition. The fifth and final leg for men was over 12.195 km while this distance was split into two final legs for women of 8 km and 4.195 km. [4]

In the men's race, Carl Thackery put the British ahead by three seconds on the first leg, with Ethiopia's Wodajo Bulti in pursuit. Jon Solly extended Britain's lead by 31 seconds in the second leg. Takeyuki Nakayama won the third stage, bringing Japan back towards contention, while Britain maintained its lead over Ethiopia. Mauricio González took the fourth stage for the Americas, with Ethiopia's Feyisa Melese gaining a second on Britain's Dave Clarke. Abebe Mekonnen produced a strong final leg of 34:24 minutes to take the title for Ethiopia, gaining nearly 45 seconds on Karl Harrison who anchored Britain to second place.

In the women's race, Marty Cooksey established a lead of 23 seconds for the Americans on the first leg and her teammate Francie Larrieu Smith added a further 16 seconds in the second leg. Lisa Brady dropped nearly one minute for the United States on the third leg, letting New Zealand take the lead. Lyudmila Matveyeva won the stage to help Soviet Union re-enter the fray after a poor first leg. Her teammate Svetlana Guskova pushed the Soviets closer in the fifth leg, beating the field by over 20 seconds. Diane Brewer spoilt the American's chances on the fifth leg, dropping nearly a minute and a half to New Zealand's Anne Audain who won the stage to take pole position, while Soviet Union's Olga Bondarenko moved up to second place. The placings were sealed from thereon, with Anne Hare winning the sixth a last leg to leave New Zealand at the top of the podium. Runner-up Tatyana Samolenko helped the Soviet's to second place ahead of the United States.

Medal summary

EventGoldSilverBronze
Men's raceFlag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia
Wodajo Bulti
Debebe Demisse
Bekele Debele
Feyisa Melese
Abebe Mekonnen
1:59:11Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Carl Thackery
Jon Solly
Mark Scrutton
David Clarke
Karl Harrison
1:59:14 Oceania
Steve Moneghetti
David Burridge
Andrew Lloyd
Chris Tobin
Adam Hoyle
2:00:12
Women's raceFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Lorraine Moller
Hazel Stewart
Mary O'Connor
Sue Bruce
Anne Audain
Anne Hare
2:18:18Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
Tatyana Kazankina
Marina Rodchenkova
Lyudmila Matveyeva
Svetlana Guskova
Olga Bondarenko
Tatyana Samolenko
2:18:33Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Marty Cooksey
Francie Larrieu Smith
Lisa Brady
Charly Haversat
Diane Brewer
Judy McCreery
2:19:11

Stage winners

StageDistanceMenTimeWomenTime
110 km [5] Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Carl Thackery  (GBR)28:14Flag of the United States.svg  Marty Cooksey  (USA)32:16
27 km [6] Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Jon Solly  (GBR)19:11Flag of the United States.svg  Francie Larrieu Smith  (USA)22:38
38 km [7] Flag of Japan.svg  Takeyuki Nakayama  (JPN)22:32Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Lyudmila Matveyeva  (URS)26:16
45 km [8] Flag of Mexico.svg  Mauricio González  (MEX)13:52Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Svetlana Guskova  (URS)15:44
512.195 km [9] /8 km [10] Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Abebe Mekonnen  (ETH)34:24Flag of New Zealand.svg  Anne Audain  (NZL)25:44
64.195 km [11] Flag of New Zealand.svg  Anne Hare  (NZL)13:09

Ekiden

Men's race

RankTeamTime
1Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia
Wodajo Bulti (28:17)
Debebe Demisse (19:42)
Bekele Debele (22:47)
Feyisa Melese (14:01)
Abebe Mekonnen (34:24)
1:59:11
2Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Carl Thackery (28:14)
Jon Solly (19:11)
Mark Scrutton (22:39)
David Clarke (14:02)
Karl Harrison (35:08)
1:59:14
3 Oceania
Steve Moneghetti (28:27)
David Burridge (19:51)
Andrew Lloyd (22:36)
Chris Tobin (13:53)
Adam Hoyle (35:25)
2:00:12
4Flag of Japan.svg  Japan
Kozu Akutsu (29:18)
Shuichi Yoneshige (19:39)
Takeyuki Nakayama (22:32)
Kunimitsu Itō (14:26)
Kazuya Nishimoto (34:48)
2:00:43
5 Americas
Francisco Pacheco (28:38)
Guillermo Serrano (20:24)
Gerardo Alcalá (23:07)
Mauricio González (13:52)
Arturo Barrios (34:48)
2:00:49
6Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya
Some Muge
Joseph Kiptum
Boniface Merande
John Ngugi
Andrew Masai
2:02:01
7Flag of Portugal (official).svg  Portugal
Paulo Catarino
António Leitão
Joaquim Pinheiro
Carlos Monteiro
Elisio Rios
2:02:23
8Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
Alessio Faustini
Franco Boffi
Gianni Truschi
Walter Merlo
Loris Pimazzoni
2:03:39
?Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Keith Brantly (29:11)
Randy Reina (20:25)
Bill Reifsnyder (23:14)
?
Jon Sinclair (36:17)
?

Women's race

RankTeamTime
1Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Lorraine Moller (32:39)
Hazel Stewart
Mary O'Connor (26:53)
Sue Bruce (16:31)
Anne Audain (25:44)
Anne Hare (13:09)
2:18:18
2Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
Tatyana Kazankina (34:26)
Marina Rodchenkova (23:04)
Lyudmila Matveyeva (26:16)
Svetlana Guskova (15:44)
Olga Bondarenko (25:45)
Tatyana Samolenko (13:18)
2:18:33
3Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Marty Cooksey (32:16)
Francie Larrieu Smith (22:38)
Lisa Brady (27:14)
Charly Haversat (16:13)
Diane Brewer (27:13)
Judy McCreery (13:37)
2:19:11
4 [12] Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Paula Fudge (33:09)
Carol Greenwood (24:12)
Susan Crehan (26:28)
Melissa Watson (16:10)
Shireen Barbour (26:31)
Philippa Mason (14:01)
2:20:31

References