The women’s marathon will be the earliest event on the final day of the 12th IAFF World Championships in Berlin, Germany. Now that British world record holder Paula Radcliff is not competing due to an injury, and favorite Irina Mikitenko of Germany has withdrawn after preparations were disrupted by the death of her father, the medals are up for grabs.
USA’s Kara Goucher has been hungry for a marathon win since her astonishing debut in New York in 2008. The 5-and 10K Olympic runner finished the NYC marathon in 2:25:53, a third place performance and fastest American female debut ever.
At the recent Boston marathon she famously placed third only 9 seconds behind the winner. Sunday’s race is another opportunity for the 31-year old to add American women as solid contenders in a marathon race.read more
Kara Goucher is gearing up for Sunday's marathon at the IAAF World Championships with a gold medal fixed firmly in her sights. Goucher is already considered the future of women's marathoning in the United States, but a win in Berlin will propel her career even higher.
Goucher is only a recent arrival to the marathon scene. She competed in the 5000 and 10000 meters at the Beijing Olympics, but her coach, Alberto Salazar, convinced her that she would excel at longer distances. Salazar apparently gave Goucher the right advice -- she finished third in both the Boston and ING New York City Marathons, and set an American debut record in New York. While these performances were enough for many to declare her the future of American marathoning, Kara Goucher isn't satisfied with third place. She was bitterly disappointed in Boston and was consoled by her husband after crossing the finish line in tears.
