Maricel
and Magda win the Bucharest Ericsson International Marathon
Andrei Nourescu
The men’s race in the eighth edition of the Bucharest Ericsson International Marathon held on Saturday 21 October, was won by Gaman Maricel, 28, with 2h 34:44, second was Dorin Gaga, 2h 37:47. The women’s winner was Teodorascu Magda, 22, with 2h 46:08. It was Magda’s debut at the marathon distance. Second in the women’s race was Liliana Istrate, 2h 51:12, who has participated in all the editions of the Bucharest Marathon.
More then 2000 runners participated in this eighth edition. The start took place in the University Place, where the Romanian Revolution began in 1989. The route passed the Triumph Arch and went into the quiet Baneasa Forest and then back to downtown Bucharest, with the finish at the "Iolanda Balas" stadium.
Among the runners was Alina Tecuta Gherasim, in her first race since the Sydney Olympics. She ran only 30 Km, saving her strength for the upcoming World Half Marathon Championships in Mexico.
The race is an AIMS associate member and has grown consistently since its inception. "In a few years we will have more then 20,000 runners at our race", said the Race Director, Horatiu Nicolau, a former volleyball player.
A number of Romanian sports stars attended the start of the race, including the 5-time Olympic rowing champion Elisabeta Lipa, Paula Ivan (3000 m Olympic Champion in Seoul 1988) and Monica Dinescu (HJ 1998 European Champion), world boxing champion Mihai Loewe Leu, and Beatrice Caslaru, twice medallist in Sydney 2000 Olympic Games in swimming.
The organizers also invited to the start all 8 candidates for the Romanian Presidency, for which the elections will be held in less than one month.
The eldest runner has been Costica Pagu, 79, who finished in 5 h 29.
The 2001 edition of the Bucharest Intl Marathon will be held on 6th of October and entries will be soon available on line.
