Marathon, Men

By 1988, the great African distance runners were beginning to set their sights on the marathon distance. Between 1984 and 1988 Djibouti, which previously had no athletics history, developed several leading marathon talents, led by Ahmed Salah. Two non-Africans also impressed, with Australia’s Rob de Castella winning Boston in 1986 in 2-07:51, and the Commonwealth Games gold medal that same year. Italy’s Gelindo Bordin won the gold medal at the 1986 European Championships.

The race started quite early, 2:30 PM, beneath a warm sun. The course started and finished at the Olympic Stadium, and looped out-and-back along the Han-Gang River. The weather led to a slow pace and at 25 km. the lead pack still had 13 runners. By 30 km. a group of six separated themselves and would contest the medals. Bordin and Salah were in this group, but de Castella had been distanced. At 40 km. Salah led, followed by Kenya’s Douglas Wakiihuri, and then Bordin. But over the next kilometer, run downhill, Bordin passed Wakiihuri and Salah and held on to win the gold medal, with Wakiihuri getting silver, and Salah bronze. The margin of 15 seconds was the smallest in an Olympic marathon since 1920.