Ham Pong-sil from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPR
Korea) won the women's marathon onSunday, the sixth day of the
week-long athletics tournament at thefortnight Asiad in Busan.
The DPR Korean top marathoner finished the 42.195km race in
twohours 33 minutes and 34 seconds to take the first athletics gold
for her country.
"I
felt exhausted when I covered 37 kilometers, but strength came back
to me again as I realised that Leader Kim Jong Il mightbe watching
me," she told reporters, with tears dripping down her cheeks after
the event. She was surrounded by two DPR Koreans to enter the
waiting room, leaving reporters behind.
Han Pong-sil won the international marathon contest in Pyongyang in
April in 2:27:07, her personal best in the event.
Harumi Hiroyama of Japan came second clocking 2:34:44, her
compatriot Hiromi Ominami finished in 2:37:48 to take the bronze
medal.
Omunami said: "I have injuries and not in good form. The weather is
hot and I sweated a lot."
She said she was not happy nor sad about today's result, but she
"enjoys the process of the race."
"As I am 34 years old. I don't know if I will have any chances to
challenge the marathon in the future."
Marathon covers 42.195 kilometers.
(Xinhua News
Agency October 13, 2002)