Korean marathon hero retires after 40th full race

SEOUL, March 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korean marathon hero Lee Bong-ju on Sunday
declared his retirement after successfully finishing his 40th full course race at
this year's Seoul International Marathon.
The 39-year-old Lee, who captured a silver medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and
won the Boston Marathon in 2001, completed the 42.195-kilometer race with a time
of 2:16:46, finishing 14th, organizers said.
Lee, who holds South Korea's marathon record of 2:07:20 set in Tokyo in 2000,
became the nation's first marathoner to complete 40 full-course races, they said,
adding such an accomplishment is rare worldwide.
"The Korean people's support has made me what I am today. I really feel grateful.
From now on, I will devote myself to fostering new-generation marathoners in
Korea," Lee said after the race.
Moses Arusei of Kenya won the Seoul International Marathon with a time of
2:07:54, organizers said.
ycm@yna.co.kr
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