Women's Marathon

Song-Ok Yong's golden performance brought the People's Republic of Korea its first ever medal in a World Championship, winning the marathon with a time of 2:26.59., a new national record. The race had an homogeneous rhythm throughout its first half (35:26. at 10km, 1:10.34.at 20km). The leading group consisted of sixteen athletes, and was headed by the Romanians Simon and Catuna, respectively the bronze medallist in Athens '97 and the silver medallist in Goteborg '95. From 28km the Chinese Sun Yingjie and the Olympic champion Fatuma Roba steeped up the pace, and the group lost several members. The Ethiopian Roba took the first position, and set a fast pace only followed by Ari Ichihashi (JPN), Simon and Jong Song-Ok. The gold medallist of Goteborg '95 and silver medallist of Athens '97, Portugal's Manuela Machado, was 50 metres behind them. Further on Ichihashi and Jong left Roba and at 40km the Korean attacked and took the final advantage over the Japanese. Lidia Simon won the bronze medal beating Roba in the last metres of the race.

Mujeres Maraton

Song-Ok Jong dio a la Republica Popular de Corea la primera medalla en un mundial al vencer en la prueba del maraton con 2h26:59. (record nacional). La carrera tuvo un ritmo homogeneo en su primera mitad (35:26. en el km. 10 y 1h10:34. en el km. 20) con un grupo en cabeza de 16 atletas del que tiraban las rumanas Simon y Catuna, bronce en Atenas y plata en Goteborg respectivamente. A partir del Km. 28 la china Sun Yingjie y la campeona olimpica Fatuma Roba aumentan el ritmo, descolgando progresivamente atletas. En el Km. 32 toma el mando la etiope Roba, imponiendo un tren exigente que inicialmetne aguantan la japonesa Ari Ichihashi, la rumana Simon y la norcoreana Jong Song-Ok, con la vencedora en el 95 y actual subcampeona la portuguesa Machado a 50 metros. Poco despues la etiope se queda sola en cabeza, pero Ichihashi y Jong reaccionan superandola. Tras pasar por el Km. 40 la norcoreana ataca y coge unos metros definitivos sobre la japonesa. Lidia Simon se llevaria el bronce tras adelantar a Roba en los ultimos metros.