Dwa oblicza Comrades
: 23 cze 2003, 06:56
Pierwsze- przypomina sceny z czasow gdy Towarzysze wyzwalali Polske.Runner, 73, mugged during race
From correspondents in Durban
June 17, 2003
A 73-year-old Japanese runner, taking part in today's Comrades ultramarathon over 89kms from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, was mugged at the halfway mark and had his running shoes taken.
Hideo Numasaki, from Tokyo, said he was accosted by two men.
"It was quite a lonely spot and these two men came down from the hills," he told the SAPA news agency.
"They grabbed me, pinned me to the ground and took my brand new running shoes."
Numasaki shouted for help but by the time a few spectators arrived on the scene, the men had fled.
A bus ferried the shoeless victim to the finish where he made a statement to the police and had his injuries – a grazed elbow as well as scratched knees and fingers – treated.
Numasaki said despite the attack he is determined to make a return trip to South Africa next year.
"This could have happened anywhere in the world," he said. "But I am not angry. I will come back for next year's race."
One of the race's sponsors immediately presented Numasaki with a new pair of running shoes.
A South African runner lost his gear twice before the race even began.
He was kidnapped here on Saturday afternoon by gunmen who bundled him into a taxi and took all his running gear, money and watch, the Star newspaper reported.
Organisers replaced the running gear, but as he went to the toilets in the supposedly secure media centre his bag was ransacked.
"We had to go around again to the sports goods outlet to obtain running gear for him," said a spokeswoman.
For years, thieves have stolen everything that wasn't nailed down along the course, so organisers hired more than 300 private security guards this year – the 78th time the ultramarathon has been run – to protect the runners and the public.
"We've lost tables, banners, scaffolding and the refreshments which we've placed overnight along the route for many years," marathon chief executive John van den Aardweg told the newspaper.
"Last year and the year before, we had many reports of hold-ups and thefts on the route."
One thief stole a $30,000 television camera from the media centre two years ago, walking coolly with it through the main gates, he said.
Fusi Nhlapo, of South Africa, running in the event for the first time, won the men's race in 5hrs 28mins 52secs. Second was Oleg Kharitonov of Russia with 5:31:41. Joseph Moaba of South Africa third in the same time.
Russian twin sisters Elena and Olesya Nurgalieva came first and second repectively in the women's section. Elena clocked 6:07:46, with her twin on 6:12:07, and compatriot Tatyana Zhirkova third in 6:17:50.
Agence France-Presse
i drugie- z punktu widzenia jednego z uczestnikow:
...however, while I am absolutely gutted at the moment I can still say that the race was a wonderful experience. The 300,000 spectators (As one said 'It is the one event in which we will support Australians') & 13,000 fellow runners were fantastic in their support & camaraderie. (And this is without the experience of the crowd at the finish!) I would highly recommend the race to anyone.
I'll be back next year, all going well.
From correspondents in Durban
June 17, 2003
A 73-year-old Japanese runner, taking part in today's Comrades ultramarathon over 89kms from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, was mugged at the halfway mark and had his running shoes taken.
Hideo Numasaki, from Tokyo, said he was accosted by two men.
"It was quite a lonely spot and these two men came down from the hills," he told the SAPA news agency.
"They grabbed me, pinned me to the ground and took my brand new running shoes."
Numasaki shouted for help but by the time a few spectators arrived on the scene, the men had fled.
A bus ferried the shoeless victim to the finish where he made a statement to the police and had his injuries – a grazed elbow as well as scratched knees and fingers – treated.
Numasaki said despite the attack he is determined to make a return trip to South Africa next year.
"This could have happened anywhere in the world," he said. "But I am not angry. I will come back for next year's race."
One of the race's sponsors immediately presented Numasaki with a new pair of running shoes.
A South African runner lost his gear twice before the race even began.
He was kidnapped here on Saturday afternoon by gunmen who bundled him into a taxi and took all his running gear, money and watch, the Star newspaper reported.
Organisers replaced the running gear, but as he went to the toilets in the supposedly secure media centre his bag was ransacked.
"We had to go around again to the sports goods outlet to obtain running gear for him," said a spokeswoman.
For years, thieves have stolen everything that wasn't nailed down along the course, so organisers hired more than 300 private security guards this year – the 78th time the ultramarathon has been run – to protect the runners and the public.
"We've lost tables, banners, scaffolding and the refreshments which we've placed overnight along the route for many years," marathon chief executive John van den Aardweg told the newspaper.
"Last year and the year before, we had many reports of hold-ups and thefts on the route."
One thief stole a $30,000 television camera from the media centre two years ago, walking coolly with it through the main gates, he said.
Fusi Nhlapo, of South Africa, running in the event for the first time, won the men's race in 5hrs 28mins 52secs. Second was Oleg Kharitonov of Russia with 5:31:41. Joseph Moaba of South Africa third in the same time.
Russian twin sisters Elena and Olesya Nurgalieva came first and second repectively in the women's section. Elena clocked 6:07:46, with her twin on 6:12:07, and compatriot Tatyana Zhirkova third in 6:17:50.
Agence France-Presse
i drugie- z punktu widzenia jednego z uczestnikow:
...however, while I am absolutely gutted at the moment I can still say that the race was a wonderful experience. The 300,000 spectators (As one said 'It is the one event in which we will support Australians') & 13,000 fellow runners were fantastic in their support & camaraderie. (And this is without the experience of the crowd at the finish!) I would highly recommend the race to anyone.
I'll be back next year, all going well.