Sunday, August 29, 2004 2:24:27 PM
Attack on race leader mars marathon
Brazilian finishes third after being grabbed by protester
NBC Sports
Brazil’s Vanderlei Lima is attacked by a man in costume while leading the men's marathon Sunday.
Lima, who was leading at the time of the attack, finished third.
The Associated Press
Updated: 2:10 p.m. ET Aug. 29, 2004
ATHENS, Greece - Stafano Baldini of Italy took the lead two miles from the finish to win the gold medal and American Meb Keflezighi took a surprising silver Sunday in an Olympic marathon disrupted by a costumed intruder who grabbed the race leader with about three miles to go.
Vanderlei de Lima of Brazil, whose lead had been slowly shrinking, was pushed to the curb by a man dressed in green beret, red kilt and knee-high green socks. Lima was able to get back into the race, but he appeared to have been injured in the incident. He lost several more seconds and eventually was overtaken by Baldini and Keflezighi.
Lima, who took the bronze, drew big cheers from the crowd at the finish line in Panthinaiko Stadium — the beautiful marble structure that was the site of the first Olympics of the modern era 108 years ago. He smiled broadly, spread his arms like wings and weaved from side to side as he crossed the line.
The intruder, who police said was from Portugal, was arrested. He had a piece of paper attached to his back bearing a religious reference.
His name was not immediately available. He was taken to a police station for questioning.
Keflezighi moved to San Diego from Eritrea in 1987. He became a U.S. citizen in 1998 and competed for UCLA. He's the first American to win a medal in the men’s marathon since Frank Shorter, who took the silver in 1976, four years after he won the gold medal at the 1972 Munich Games.
At Munich, a hoaxster ran onto the course and entered the stadium ahead of Shorter. The crowd cheered, thinking he was the leader, before authorities stopped him and dragged him away.
Deena Kastor won the bronze in the women’s marathon a week ago, marking the first time the United States had medaled in both of the sport’s epic endurance competition.
Track & field - Men's Marathon (medals: Aug. 29th)
Medal Athlete Country Result
Gold Stefano Baldino Italy 2:10:55
Silver Meb Keflezighi United States 2:11:29
Bronze Vanderlei de Lima Brazil 2:12:11
• NBCO: Schedules, preliminary result and complete final results
© 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Brazilian finishes third after being grabbed by protester
NBC Sports
Brazil’s Vanderlei Lima is attacked by a man in costume while leading the men's marathon Sunday.
Lima, who was leading at the time of the attack, finished third.
The Associated Press
Updated: 2:10 p.m. ET Aug. 29, 2004
ATHENS, Greece - Stafano Baldini of Italy took the lead two miles from the finish to win the gold medal and American Meb Keflezighi took a surprising silver Sunday in an Olympic marathon disrupted by a costumed intruder who grabbed the race leader with about three miles to go.
Vanderlei de Lima of Brazil, whose lead had been slowly shrinking, was pushed to the curb by a man dressed in green beret, red kilt and knee-high green socks. Lima was able to get back into the race, but he appeared to have been injured in the incident. He lost several more seconds and eventually was overtaken by Baldini and Keflezighi.
Lima, who took the bronze, drew big cheers from the crowd at the finish line in Panthinaiko Stadium — the beautiful marble structure that was the site of the first Olympics of the modern era 108 years ago. He smiled broadly, spread his arms like wings and weaved from side to side as he crossed the line.
The intruder, who police said was from Portugal, was arrested. He had a piece of paper attached to his back bearing a religious reference.
His name was not immediately available. He was taken to a police station for questioning.
Keflezighi moved to San Diego from Eritrea in 1987. He became a U.S. citizen in 1998 and competed for UCLA. He's the first American to win a medal in the men’s marathon since Frank Shorter, who took the silver in 1976, four years after he won the gold medal at the 1972 Munich Games.
At Munich, a hoaxster ran onto the course and entered the stadium ahead of Shorter. The crowd cheered, thinking he was the leader, before authorities stopped him and dragged him away.
Deena Kastor won the bronze in the women’s marathon a week ago, marking the first time the United States had medaled in both of the sport’s epic endurance competition.
Track & field - Men's Marathon (medals: Aug. 29th)
Medal Athlete Country Result
Gold Stefano Baldino Italy 2:10:55
Silver Meb Keflezighi United States 2:11:29
Bronze Vanderlei de Lima Brazil 2:12:11
• NBCO: Schedules, preliminary result and complete final results
© 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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