Day 5 - Women's Marathon Athletics: European Championships

He needs to find the finish line. He is now the world record-holder in

the 50 kilometre walk. Brilliant finish. Completely destroyed the

field. Is Martyn Rooney strong enough to

hang on? It is going to be close out the line. It's been a long time

coming, to win championships. I am pretty happy. The women's 1,500m has

certainly got the best athletes in the world. Trying to chased the two

best in the world. Absolutely brilliant from Laura. He has been

fantastic on the board this year. That will do, qualifying. Johnny

Williams with a lot to do -- Joanne Williams with a lot to do. No one is

going to touch the Dutch athlete. I am so happy to come away with two

medals at a senior. I couldn't ask for any more. Husein has called for

Switzerland at the 400m hurdles. -- gold. Gemili will run a better bend

than Christophe Lemaitre. Adam Gemili has got two metres on the

field. It is gold for great Britain. Sub 20, to win the European

Championships. Simply superb. European champion was something that

was a big target to me and to go and achieve it, I am really happy.

Good morning to you, welcome to the penultimate day of the European

athletics Championships. The stadium may be empty, it is the women's

marathon this morning, but if you listen carefully, you can hear the

echoes of the cheering British fans after another amazing night. Paula

Radcliffe, it was stunning from start to finish. It was, to see

Martyn Rooney, and do everything he has been through, to come back and

get that title was really special. It was great to see Laura and Jody

come through and Matthew Hudson-Smith as well, and for Adam

to round it off with our 100th gold at this Championships and the sub 20

he was after. In what were pretty miserable conditions, rain and

strong headwind, you might have mattered little wonder what he might

have run in better conditions. -- you might wonder. We heard last

night that the track feels not so fast when it is wet, so there could

be more to come. Ian Black said the medal haul would be between

Barcelona and Helsinki. Potentially, Britain is on course for its best

ever European Championships. It is going really well and a lot of that

is due to the fact that the athletes didn't peak for the two major

championships before and the first day went as well as it did, setting

the other athletes on a roll, Jo Pavey, Andy Vernon coming out, and

the other is saying, I can do that as well. 19 medals from Barcelona,

the greatest ever total, nine golds, and at the moment, we are on

six and 13 and still chances to come. We had chances in the relay,

some chances in the women's 800m, we have Eilidh Child in the 400, the

long jump. As we said, the women's marathon, no Brits, but a good

reason for that. We don't have huge depth on the marathon side on either

the men or the women's site, but it is largely due to the fact that the

athletes prefer to go to the Commonwealth Games. The contenders

shortly, but first, Paula has been out and about on the cause, this is

what it looks like. -- the course.

Here we are at the start and finish area of the marathon. The most

important thing for the athlete is that they come in well prepared

physically, but also mentally, so they will have taken the chance to

look at the course profile, which shows the inclines and declines in

the course, and the general layout. This is a loop course, which means

they run a two kilometre loop at the beginning and then four laps of ten

kilometres each. Generally, we talk about marathon runners following the

blue line. Here in Z?rich, because of the championship colours, it is

purple, but it is essentially the same thing, the shortest line of the

cause, taking the best tangents. Here, I am not sure we will see that

many runners running close to the gutter, as it is right on the edge.

It will be particularly testing because of the cobbles. As we have

seen so far, the weather can change suddenly, and if it does rain, this

area will become more testing and more slippery. As well as the

cobbles, another potential hazard in this course are the tramlines, which

they have to run along it numerous times and cross a lot of times. We

have been told they may fill the tramlines with a banana leaf

substance, just to fill the hole a little bit and lessening the danger

of turning your ankle or slipping on the metal. This is probably the

toughest climb of the cause and the runners will need to negotiate is

four times, climbing up to the highest point of the cause, by the

University. The hilly nature of the course will certainly suited the

tougher athletes. We have some information that the Swiss may have

designed this course is for their champion in Barcelona. The hills and

climbs only make it tougher for the athletes as they go up, but also, of

course, they have to come down, which means a lot of the centric

loading on the thigh muscles. By the third or fourth time up this hill,

it will really be starting to herd, so we could well see an attack being

made on the third order for up this help. This is the point where the

runners enter the Chinese gardens. Just before that term, they will

take a drinks station, ten kilometres, 20 kilometres, 30 and 40

kilometres drinks stations. So they have to negotiate taking a drink and

then quickly making bad turn into this fairly narrow area. It should

be OK, it is a small field, given it is a championship race, and by the

time they get to 20 kilometres, it will have thinned out but we could

see some jostling for position as they make this sharp term. This is

the Chinese garden area. There are a couple of points they where they

have to cut across the grass but as long as it is not really wet, it

shouldn't be a problem. This is a tough course but I do think it is

also a beautiful course. The fact that there are different areas, with

the hills and the climbs and this garden area, means it breaks it up

for the runners and should make in enjoyable to run as well. -- make

it. If I don't get to go around the whole course, one thing that is key

is to jog over all walk over the last 600 metres of the race, to make

sure I know it really well. Should it come down to a sprint, I want to

tie my efforts to perfection and now every last bump in the last couple

of hundred metres. This course could be particularly interesting, because

the runners are going to drop down the hill and only see the finish

pretty late on. They will know it, because they will have already run

this section but it makes sense to know they will be coming down the

hill, over the brow of the bridge and it will be a short run into the

finish and they have the time that perfectly.

That was Paula taking her life in her hands to produce that course

guide. Don't say the Swiss don't have a sense of humour, running

across grass in the middle of a major marathon? A lot of runners

will be used to that, they probably train in parks like that. The danger

is with the weather having been as wet as it is, all of the runners

tracking across that, by the fourth track it is mud. Steve Cram is going

to be commentating on this with Paula and Brendan Foster and he is

standing by. Who are the ones to look out for?

I am not sure there are any outstanding favourites. There is a

lot of experience. You will remember the Championships last year, Straneo

getting an unexpected medal and like Jo Pavey, she is at the end of her

career, 38 years of age, she could run well. The familiar Gaymon

Abeylegesse the old turkey, who has won medals -- name of Abeylegesse

the turkey, who has won medals, but I am not sure about her fitness. The

new there are a couple of Russians in

there who may do well, although the Russians have not been running well

at all. But watch out for these three. The triplets from Estonia.

The Luik triplets. I like these young three, they share my birthday,

October 14. Are they any good at running? I am not sure. But is great

to see them, triplets in the marathon. They could make up their

own team, because you need three to count for the European cup

competition, the team competition, as well as an individual one.

Interesting Swiss athlete, people may remember her from 2012, winning

the triathlon, Nicola Spirig. Yes, like last night -- last night, with

Hussein, the Swiss had something to cheer about, and I am sure she will

get a lot of support. There is a triathlon here every year, it is

quite famous as a triathlon venue, and she can come here and soak up

the atmosphere and hope she can have a great day, but anything can happen

in the marathon, particularly championship marathons. Paula knows

that better than anyone else. So someone like they could come here

and have a great day, and who knows? We also have the defending

champion, Incerti of Italy, and the person who was disqualified,

Balciunaite. Yes, the women's site, like other parts of athletics, has

had issues with people cheap method laid cheating, and Balciunaite is

back -- people cheating, but she is back, not a lot of people will be

happy, but she is back. She is the defending champion, Incerti, I don't

know what kind of reception Balciunaite will get. The marathon

will be of very shortly. We have seen Paula's course guide, and here

is my guide to Zurich. Zurich may well be one of the

world's leading financial hubs, but there is much more to this place

than Swiss francs and tax breaks. With a population of under half a

million, those lucky enough to live here enjoy some of the highest

living standards anywhere in the world, regularly voted one of the

best places to make home. This easy living lifestyle is helped along by

one of the best public transport systems anywhere in the world.

Trams, it seems, are the way to go and if they're gentle hum doesn't do

it for you, there is always pedal power. The odd supercar isn't a

rarity here either. I will have that one. A pub on every corner in

Britain, so they say and in Zurich, it is a bank, and that is only a

little exaggeration. This is a city that attracts the great and the good

to both spend and save their money in equal measure. And, of course, no

visit to Switzerland is complete without a taste of its famous

chocolate. Are you jealous, Colin? In keeping with a country renowned

for its timekeeping, Zurich boasts the biggest clock face in Europe. So

as we have seen, this city loves its athletics and the Liexigrund Stadium

is where the best one-day meeting in the world is held each year, and one

I have fond memories of. A lovely city, but flight entertainment there

and now it is the serious action, it is time for the women's marathon --

but light entertainment. The marathon is setting in off in

cool conditions. A bit of a wet and drizzly day. We have had some heavy

showers. The temperature is pretty good for marathon running and it is

not very windy. We have had some pretty breezy days. It is pretty

calm. Not a bad day to run a marathon. We had excellent guides

from Paula and Jonathan and that will give you a bit of an idea of

the geography. We will enjoy the next few hours. Paula is here and so

is Brendan. I think Jonathan's bit about the chocolate was the

highlight their! A small field, good conditions for running this morning.

A beautiful city, running along the lake in Zurich. There is 21-macro.

-- Jessica Augusto. There is the triathlon champion. Nicola Spirig.

The calibre of these athletes, in terms of running, obviously they are

the best in Europe and I remember back in 1982, it was the European

Championships that led the way, the first ever women's marathon in the

Championship was in Athens them. It was a fantastic marathon. The winner

won it in two hours. Marathon running has come a long way,

spearheaded by the young lady sitting with me, Paula Radcliffe.

She was a fantastic athlete. Records are supposed to keep progressing.

She was a huge trailblazer in the same way that Ingrid Kristiansen

followed on. They were role models for me and a lot of other athletes.

That excellent course guide from Paula will give you a little bit of

geography. There is a big lap and a small lap, the small lap is to make

up the distance, the big lap is ten kilometres. They will take a left

turn up here, most of our studio team have been doing their shopping

there, that some very nice shops there. Winter clothing has been high

on the list. Apparently it is the wealthiest shopping street in the

whole of Europe. You and Paul have spent a lot of time there. A lot of

expensive shops. This is the street where Oprah Winfrey had a big

argument in a shop. They told her that she could not afford a handbag,

they did not realise who she was. I think it was a $30,000 handbag. Who

knew those sort of things existed? Oprah Winfrey basically told the

world that he did not like Zurich. This is one of the sections of the

course that athletes have to negotiate a lot of tramlines on.

Probably you will not see too many athletes getting close to the metal

to have any danger of slipping. On tired legs, however, it makes it

more treacherous, as Saint -- the same as the cobbles. There are

twists and turns. There are the hills, the cobbles, the tramlines,

lots of little turns and bends, places where you could use to make

breaks, but also it will be more taxing on the legs. There is the

church, they are crossing the river. They will turn right and go back to

the start here and then another smaller loop and eventually they

will be back here before they start off on an extremely difficult part

of the course, where they turn left next time around. I was pleased to

hear that they did not have those banana things you were talking about

in the tramlines, because I thought bananas were slippy! You to! It is

road made from a banana, from believe this, I do not know -- two.

They could stop as they get hungry and take some extra carbohydrates on

board. It would still be slippy because of the metal. I think the

course where they are running, where they turn right, they must be there.

I will look for it the banana rope. There are two of the triplets going

through the picture. There are in the background, the lake, the scene

of a big triathlon here, once a year, everyone jumps into that lake,

pretty much everyone in the city. You're not allowed to swim down the

central section and I think there is once a year... Why are you tapping

me on the leg? 400,000 people live in Zurich! Tens of thousands of them

do it. They all float down the lake. These two are setting off. It

will be a hard morning. In the early stages, I did not mention, Jessica

Augusto is very well-known to long-distance fans, she could have

run the 10,000 metres as well, I guess, but chose to continue in her

marathon career and she will be a big contender. Definitely. There is

a team race here as well. I think Portugal and Italy will the front

runners with the likes of Jessica Augusto and the Portuguese runner.

The Italians have the silver medallist from last year. We can see

the Turkish athlete there. She is the European record-holder, Elvan

Abeylegesse. She has not had the results to match in the marathon. We

will see what she can do today. The Italian team, it includes Anna in

certainly, a strong team. -- and Anita Smith. There is Christelle

Daunay. I think she has a good opportunity -- Anna Incerti. These

cool conditions, much better than they might have expected in Zurich

in August. They have been blessed with the weather, when they were

planning for this event, August in Zurich, it can be really warm. They

are setting out at nine a.m., which is not too early. They would have

probably wanted to start earlier -- nine o'clock. It is a fairly strong

field. He has a scarf on! : Jackson has been dressing the Lithuanian

team! -- Colin Jackson. We have been through the start and finish area

and after completing that short lap, we are coming down this street again

on the big lap, ten kilometres, each lap and it is pretty full of twists

and turns. Elvan Abeylegesse tucked in the middle. Real question marks

about her fitness. Not everyone makes the transition from the track

to the marathon and we have seen a Mo Farah in his first marathon not

going as well as he would have liked and Elvan Abeylegesse has not been

able to run as fast as you think she would be able to. I wonder if she is

coping with that move, whether or not she has been able to prepare for

this raise as much as she would like. She dropped out of a marathon

earlier in the year -- race. You need a couple of positive ones early

in your career. She took time out to have a baby. I think she had a baby

girl in 2011 and then move to the marathon. I think she has struggled,

unlike Jo Pavey, she has struggled to get back into training. She has

not really made that transition. She made the mistake of thinking of

moving to the marathon and it would be easier. I do not think that has

translated very well. Incidentally, I am not sure if we will see, but

the Croatian athlete leading is actually another athlete who just

got married. She is one to watch. Fibula Britain is in her first

marathon, but she is one who could figure -- 70 macro. -- Fionnuala

Britton. There was controversy over her selection. A late decision to

put her in. She decided late on that she wanted to compete. There is

Sabrina Mockenhaupt. Others who tried to make a selection... There

was controversy. There was a couple of weeks before it that Fionnuala

Britton decided she wanted to make her debut. She did not have a

qualifying time. They drafted in another girl from her training group

to make up the team, it was Sarah Mulligan. There are other athletes

in Ireland who were understandably a little bit miffed to find out they

were not mentioned. She can get rid of that by running well today. She

is at the back of the group. She is more accomplished at cross country.

She has been the European champion on a couple of occasions. It is

sensible for her to move to the marathon, eventually she will be a

good marathon runner. She will get clues about it today. It will be a

steady race, she is good up the hills. She has got a chance, because

the apps are significant and the downs will be difficult as well. --

ups. Fionnuala Britton reminds me of another runner who had an

outstanding career in the cross-country and marathon. I think

that Fionnuala Britton is a strong athlete and I have seen her training

quite a bit. She does already a lot of mileage in training and I think

it is a logical step for her to move to the marathon. It is a different

way to make your debut, but it is a good one and it could work out well

for her. They are starting on the first of the long lapse. The group

are settling down, nice numbers in that group -- long lapse. A very

strong Italian distance runner who has excelled and has decided that

she would run from the position of leading. She did that extremely well

in the World Championships, Valeria Straneo. The crowds are starting to

build, which is good to see, despite the inclement weather for spectator

in. I still can't see any rope in those tramlines. That is not fair,

because we have done a lot of homework on that rope! It was used

in the walks. Maybe it is just in the walk section, the two kilometre

section. I have been watching for the last ten minutes, trying to find

that rope. I have given up now, I am just going to let the athletes run

through the streets on the tramlines. To be fair to the

organiser, can you imagine walking around trying to put it in before

the athletes come there? They use a big wheel, have you not seen the

pictures? They normally only do it for the royalty, we should have told

them that Lord Brendan Foster was here and all of the rope would have

been laid out. That is a magnificent church. It is, that little hill to

the left does well is the old part of the town, the heart of old

Zurich, and Lyndon -- the hilly side on the other side of the river. And

the other famous church, the Grossmunster, and the only thing I

used to know about Zurich when I used to come was Felix and

irregular. The Grossmunster is built where the patron saints of zoo --

Zurich were beheaded, and theoretically walked up the hill

about 40 metres, carrying their heads under their arms, and laid

down and that point, after praying, the legend goes that they

theoretically dug their own graves and that is of the Grossmunster

Cathedral. And if you walk around is you -- Zurich, you will see murals

of the three headless saints. I don't know why, but lots of things

in Zurich are named either Felix or Regula. There you go. Just a

pick-up, as they went through five K, Mockenhaupt, a good distance back

already, struggling to recover. Fionnuala Britton and her were the

only ones that ran the 10,000m on the first day and have come back to

run this. Really struggling a bit and I am not sure if we will see her

actually finish today. So this is the first time after crossing the

bridge, they took a left to turn heading along the river and then

this is the bit that Brendan got a taxi to go up the hill and Paula

went for a little jog. Which tells you everything you need to know. It

wasn't a taxi, Steve, it was the barn -- River Lee Railway, it is the

only cause I have seen joined by that and it gives you a view over

the top of the city are Zurich and I am amazed they have the city are

Zurich and I am amazed they have to negotiate it four times, it will

make it a really tough course swing right in a moment. And then they

will climb up towards the university area. Beautiful historic area, the

old town, the old part of the city, running along the river bank here,

that is pretty comfortable. There is the funicular railway, C. Of the

course from the river to the top of the course and it is absolutely

amazing, it is terrific to go upon the funicular, but I wouldn't like

to run up it four times. Once. Did somebody take you? I can't believe

you went all by yourself. Somebody must have taken new, told you how to

get a ticket and where you get on. It is free tickets, and I have a

guidebook to take me around Zurich, you were busy, so I did it myself.

We were walking around the rest of the course! You are right, though,

can you do it into sections? Brendan went all the way up in one go, the

athletes have covered that first section, and then they will do a

U-turn, go back down the same street and up the second part of the hill

to the university area. So they do get a flat part here, but in some

respects, if there is a big hill, you want to get it all out of the

way. This is very slightly up along this section, very slightly, and

they will get along to one of the main tram stops and do a U-turn and

head back along the same street. There is Fionnuala Britton, just

dropping off the main group. Yes, not even five kilometres into the

race and you can see the damage that the hill has done in terms of how

the field is breaking up, and she is already finding out that you need to

be in contact from the beginning. You can run your own race and come

through later, but she is taking a real gamble and the athletes at the

top of the field now, the likes of Daunay at the front... Climbing all

the way here, this group are settling a little. It is steadily

increasing as you get closer to the top. Fionnuala Britton deciding to

take up a post at the back of the group, that is sensible. At the

defending champion Incerti... This is the Steve bid, having to work

very hard. Not too many championship marathons have this sort of hill in

it, it is brutal. We were given information that it is different to

the Zurich marathon course but it was to design the big Swiss hope --

designed for the big Swiss hope in the men's marathon, but it will

probably make this a slower paced race. I think they designed the

course with that in mind. That climb, as you look down, you

consider damage it is doing to athletes. The only marathon course

where I have seen a funicular railway running from the lowest part

of the highest part of the course. Now they are coming up towards the

Institute of Technology, the famous Zurich Institute of Technology, one

of the best engineering schools in the world, and there is a platform

there, viewing point that overlooks the city, so you can tell how high

they have come. Look at Abeylegesse E, you can see how hard she has been

working. I think this course is going to test them. That is the

viewing platform, 50m higher. You can only imagine why they designed

the course like this. They could have had it flat and followed the

lake and had a couple more laps, so it wasn't designed to be to the

advantage of the athletes, and it was to help victims of man, who is a

marathon runner, -- Vic Rothman. The Institute of Technology, part of the

University of Zurich, they are going past all of the buildings that make

up the university. 26,000 students, it is a big employer here in Zurich.

We can see some of the names going through, Quaglia, as Paula was

saying earlier on, Toniolo, let's not forget there is a team race

here, the Russians and the Italians and the Swedes look as though they

are struggling a little bit up that hill. That is the other thing, if

you get persuaded you are going to have a Swedish team and you will go

to the European marathon championship, you would not be

expecting to have a course like this with a hail of such a gradient -- a

hill. The other aspect, I was listening to you, Paula, in the

guide, running downhill when you are tired, explained that a little bit

better, how tiring that can be? Exactly, it can almost be more of a

danger to marathon runners as the race goes on. Uphill, you will slow

down and struggle but it is the eccentric loading, the quad muscle,

one of the biggest on your legs, needs to absorb that shock and you

are almost stopping. That technique of being able to relax enough and

absorb and pushed onto next stride without putting too much impact into

your quadricep muscle, it happened famously in the Boston Marathon, the

leader had to stop because she cramped up so badly going down a

downhill section. This is quite steep this part, the Museum of fine

Art in the middle of the Zurich, with the Picassos and the Manets.

Did you make your visit? I just told you I did. You said the same thing

in Glasgow. Ideas, there is a famous picture by Andy Warhol, the tin of

Campbell's soup. Zurich is, as Brendan was saying, well known for

art lovers, there is a lot of money in Zurich, let's face it, but one of

the most controversial things you might see, just off to the right,

there is a huge big crane that looks like it might have been shifted from

the dockyards of Tyneside. We were talking about it and said we did not

think there was a shipping heritage, it has been brought in from a German

dockyard, it is a piece of art. It is hugely controversial, cost a lot

of money and it just doesn't look right. There is one in Glasgow at

the side of the Clyde, left as testimony to its shipping heritage,

but this one looks exactly the same and has nothing to do with the

Zurich heritage. She is in -- competing well be on tour station.

Perhaps the fact she has not been on the bike or swimming will be to her

advantage. She is mixing with world-class runners, I am wondering

how long Nicola Spirig can continue with these athletes. She does have

the endurance and stamina from all of the hours of training she has put

in over the three disciplines, but it is whether her legs can stand up

to the discipline of the marathon. She will have a lot of support out

there. She also has her team-mate alongside her. They are heading out

towards the ten kilometres point not far at the end of this street, where

they will turn, if you saw the guide earlier that Pollard did, there is a

turn into the park -- Paula. A little smile from Valeria Straneo.

There are Alessandra Aguilar water stations, one along the street in

the city centre area -- two. Hills on the first lap, there is Jessica

Augusto, perhaps putting paid to her hopes. She has closed down on

Fionnuala Britton. The two of them working together, Fionnuala Britton,

she came off that lead group, you can see that Jessica Augusto is not

too far away. She seems to be fairly relaxed, it is early stages, perhaps

she is playing a canny game. It is early stages. She always wants to

start cautiously. She does not want to push hard in the first ten

kilometres. She is checking her watch regularly and seems to be

getting information. That is a good thing for Fionnuala Britton, she can

benefit from the experience of Jessica Augusto and Anna Incerti. We

will see this front group not pull away much through this section and

the next break-ups we will see are when they negotiate their hill for

the second time. Fionnuala Britton seemed to run contrary up that hill,

as did Jessica Augusto. Whether we will see that distance grow, we will

see how that pans out, -- comfortably. A quick word on

29-macro, she was born and grew up in America and now has gone back to

live in Croatia -- Lisa Christina Nemec. Her parents are Croatian. She

wanted to run for her home country. She is looking good out there today,

I think. Yes, that lead group, with one or two in there, including Lisa

Christina Nemec should, they are going well. There is the Swiss

runner and then the Olympic triathlon champion, Nicola Spirig,

in the red. Jessica Augusto, Anna Incerti, Fionnuala Britton,

approaching ten kilometres. Elvan Abeylegesse is still tucked in

there, Christelle Daunay as well. She would be looking for a good

performance. The French have had a bit of an up and down week in lots

of ways. They have been buying with Great Britain for the top of the

medal table. -- competing. You can see the Chinese garden, they will

take a right-hand turn, a few twists and turns in the grass section, I

wonder if they will put a few mats down to avoid them slipping. There

is the ten kilometres split. Did you notice if they have run through the

drinks station? It should be around here. I was wondering how close they

would put it to that narrow turn it into the park. It would complicate

things if they were trying to negotiate both at the same time.

There are going to take the right turn and go along a little stream.

Is she taking a selfie? I don't think so. Just for a second, from

that distance, I thought, she has got a mobile phone and is taking a

selfie in the middle of the marathon! It will happen soon. You

can see all the Russians there. Almost in perfect synchronicity,

picking their watches as they crossed the ten kilometres mark. --

clicking. I have never understood why they need to do that. They can

look at the big clock. Certainly in a Championship race, times do not

matter hugely, it is more important of the victory. I do not know why

you would need to analyse the splits afterwards. They have made the

little turn through the park, I think that is the water station, you

have a better sight of it. They have just gone through it. They have

taken their early drinks on-board and even on a day like this,

marathon runners will stick to their prerace plan of when to drink. On a

hot day, more water can be taken on board, but these are all their own

personal drinks that have been prepared. The fact that it is a lap

cause makes it easier for the support teams to have the drinks in

the right places. Absolutely, the rule in Championship marathon is

that the team official can hand you the drinks as well as the

opportunity to pick them up from the table. Some athletes prefer about.

The bandage for the team support crew is that here at they only need

possibly four at each drinks station -- advantage. -- prefer that. You

can also get given it from the team official. That little spurt from the

bicycle camera gives you an indication of the gap between

Jessica Augusto and the nature of twists and turns in the park. There

is a low-flying helicopter. It is probably on the lake. As they

progress through the park, another little right-hand turn back onto the

road. I think they will have mapped out, it is a little bit gravelly. --

mats. I am not sure if it is 800 to go. Hopefully they will have removed

the tables. Later in the race, a few people might be inside the Italian

restaurant watching the runners. It is a bit like an obstacle course

with seeds, people and the grass. We walked through here and all those

tables were out in the road area. We assumed they would be moved. Those

are the old swimming baths. UK get an nice sauna there on a day like

this. -- you could get. Perfect running conditions. Christelle

Daunay from France in the white and dark blue, Valeria Straneo, a great

race last year, Elvan Abeylegesse on the far side. Lisa Christina Nemec

now Mitch there as well. -- now there as well. There are the two

Swiss athletes, Nicola Spirig rare. That is the lead group. -- there. It

is great to see Nicola Spirig. Nicola Spirig, the women's triathlon

champion is taking on the matter -- the marathon runners at their own

event. I am wondering how long she will last. There are seven in the

group and I am expecting drama. This course will take its toll on the

athletes and I will not be surprised if some of the action, as we look at

the Opera House, will be dramatic. Zurich is often voted as the best

city in the world to live in, one of the best. You need to have a few

quid! We were assuming that! And your name is not Oprah Winfrey! It

is a beta full city, -- a beautiful city. It has an old-fashioned feel,

the financial success as well, it is not too far away from the large ski

resorts in the winter. Great places to go in the summer in the

mountains. It is a beautiful part of the world. It is great that last

night in the Liexigrund Stadium, the atmosphere really got going. Hussein

won the 400m hurdles gold medal. Martyn Rooney finally won his first

Championship gold medal, Adam Gemili had a brilliant night, in Chile and

wet conditions. Tonight, distance bands will see Jo Pavey back on the

track -- chilly. Does it Smith is chasing down the lead group. Jo

Pavey will go to night game -- Jessica Augusto. -- will go tonight

against. -- again. The athletes further down the field, after a bit

of a surge, one athlete is going slowly. The Russians who have been

running constantly together, look like they may be ready to pass. We

are going to see lots of changes to the positions, not only in the front

group, but further down the field as well. There is another very

experienced marathon runner, 32-macro. -- Marisa Barros. We have

not mentioned Miranda Boonstra, she is a great runner. Just watching

Nicola Spirig, is there are precedents for triathletes moving to

the marathon? -- is there a precedent. I cannot think of one. I

cannot believe she will stay with this web for much longer. She is

running really well, you can tell that she is working at it -- this

group. She had a fantastic performance in the London Olympics.

She is in seventh place at the back of the group as they run longer

waterside, passing some of the financial areas. -- as they run

along the waterside. That is the headquarters of the Zurich

Insurance. -- of Zurich Insurance. Just as we looked at the overhead

shot, we could get an idea of the distance from the overhead pack --

leading pack to Augusto, who is making up the distance steadily, and

just behind her, Fionnuala Britton is sadly struggling to keep up with

the pace and is isolated. There is Augusto, just negotiating that sharp

turn before they go a long the front and to the narrow tramline section

again. This section of the course is an

area where the athletes can take advantage of that, switch backwards,

so they are virtually running alongside the athletes, and they can

get a good idea of what those gaps are and who is having a good day and

not such a good day. Jessica Augusto got a good site that lead group.

This is a bit further back, the three Russians there, Ejjafini, and

Filomena Costa, I think. At the moment, Switzerland had a better

countered with two in the lead group. But still the early stages

and that lead group just running together at the moment and as they

head onto the start of the second big lap, they will have that hill to

contest a second time but in the meantime, they are happy to run in a

group together. So while this race progresses, I was talking about what

has been happening in the stadium over the last couple of nights and

what is to come and I think Jonathan has got the British team captain

with him in the studio. I certainly have, we will be back to

you shortly, but Goldie, you are very welcome. Steve mentioned you

being the team captain and all of the athletes we have spoken to so

far after they have competed have talked about that team speech. So

what did you say? Well, it was quite a long speech, it took me a little

while to prepare. As soon as Neal told me I would be captain, I

started preparing. I am the type of person that, if you are going to do

a job, you do it to your Best of ability. Where you head girl? --

where you head girl. Deputy. But I was out for nearly two years with

career threatening injury and I used that to talk about what I hope they

never experience and they perspective it gives you on

athletics, and I talked about the fact that we do take it for granted.

It sounds awful, you don't mean to, but you do whilst you are in it,

because it feels like it is normal and you do it a day in and day out

and you are surrounded by athletes, but ultimately, it is very

extraordinary what we do. What they all talked about was compete like it

is your last competition, that is the big takeaway. Yes, I ended with

that, I left them with the question, how will you perform? I talked to

everybody in the room, doctors, physios, athlete, coach, how would

you perform if it is the last opportunity you have to do so? It

makes you think and that is what you want to leave people with. I was

quite emotional and I think that sometimes helps other athletes,

because we are trained to control our emotions and almost the robotic,

process driven on the track, but we are all human beings, we all get

nervous and had doubts sometimes, and especially with youngsters. The

team is a layer of individuals that Jo Pavey Libby grandmother to. She

may pull you up on that one. Mother, maybe! She is quite open to

that fact! You have these layers of the team that are very young but

unbelievably good. You talked about being a human being, not just an

athlete, and often when you are in the team, you don't get to know the

demons that are going on in people's mine, you look at other

athletes and you probably think, you don't

people's mine, you look at other athletes and you probably think, you

don't feel like I feel in the morning, and to see that human side,

I guess, was great for them. I definitely wanted to get that

across, it is nice being captain, because you can have those chats

with people where you feel you are able to, so the likes of Morgan, who

may have come off the track feeling disappointed, she is 17 years old,

we have to put it in perspective. Only just 17, she is not 18 until

May, which is incredible and she was very close in qualifying. She will

kick herself, but it is something you learn from. We are all human

beings and I think people watching on TV watch the Olympics or the

European Championship send you think that athletes are different and

freaks of nature, almost, and they are not. They work very hard. I

don't like the word talent, I think it is the most overused word in

sport, you think that is what gets everyone started, I can throw a ball

so I can throw the javelin, I have never seen a 13-year-old girl that

can throw 60m. It is talent, yes, but ultimately it is working hard.

You cannot be an overnight success without working hard, I have an

issue with the word talent. The focus that you have had to put on

being captain, aside from the team speech, did it take away from your

best performance? It wasn't your best performance. It is interesting

to say that, it could have done, but I don't think so. I spoke to Neill

about it and said it could be a distraction, but when you give a

speech like that you get nervous about it, and I was pretty nervous,

but that makes it a good speech, but my performance, to look at it

objectively, and I haven't had the time to do it, I have not had the

training I would like to have done. I have thrown from a full run of

around 30 times. I have thrown decent distances this year but I

don't know, because I tore my car in the spring. It has been the worst

preparation. I know my arm is electric, one of the best in the

world, but because I do come in a bit quicker than most athletes, it

was speeding things up to an extent where I was almost not having to

throw and it is not good when you are thinking about your performance.

And what are your scars like, physically in your arm and in your

mind, from what happened in 2012? I can show you my scar, it is pretty

impressive. It is going to be on this camera. I like scars, it tells

a story. They took the ligament out of that arm, so I have some rather

interesting looking scars. SNA transplanted it from one arm to the

other? Yes, because it needs reconstructing. I have had three

operations. They repaired the ligament first but it wasn't strong

enough, a screw came away and hole in the back of the bone. The arm

didn't feel great and you can understand why it wasn't settling

down, so after the second operation, coming around in the

operating theatre, my doctor was standing by my bed when I woke up

and he said, you need an elbow reconstruction and basically have to

go back to the beginning. It is a more complicated surgery and me

being me, I just went about trying to find the best guy in the world,

which I did, and I have ended up with a quicker arm than I have ever

had. Amazing, so this season was perhaps a bit too soon? Yes, and

when I look at it, I was amazed. When I look back at it in a few

weeks, I will have thrown further than I expected to. In that third

throw, I have never not made a cut, it was a very strange feeling, I

have never had that feeling before. I actually thought, this could be

the last time you throw a javelin, if I don't make that cut. But the

only good thing about that throw is the shared, I think. I mean, it has

been fairly horrific but I do get on with things. It has been emotional,

and I have been disappointed, but I don't think many people would have

got back from a career saving operation, basically, and that is

your gift as a javelin thrower, your arm, if you don't have one, you

haven't got a hope and it is the bit of your body you can rely on and

this time last year, I was in a sling, so to be here, I never want

to make up the numbers, but being here was quite a challenge. You

certainly may turn out to be the best ever team captain because at

the moment, the British team is on course potentially for its greatest

ever European Championships. It is unbelievably good and I can't say it

is as a result of my speech, but having spoken to a few athletes,

they have taken it on board and referred to it and that is what I

wanted, secretly, I think, to improve a few people's performance

by 1% and that is often all you need at championships. And hopefully

Britain will have the greatest ever medal haul at a Championships.

People's performances have been unbelievably good, especially in

these conditions, it is not one. Goldie, thank you becoming to speak

to us and all the best with the rest of the season and into next summer.

Thank you, and back to the marathon now with Steve, Brendan and Paula.

STEVE CRAM: Yes, best wishes to Goldie. Back to the marathon, this

hill for the second time is certainly pulling them apart a

little bit. You can see the Olympic triathlon champion Spirig not able

to stay with them. The lead group now, Straneo and the others, has

been closed down. The one who is moving through nicely is Augusto,

just looking at her wash -- her watch there. This hill is brutal,

Nemec looks very comfortable. Straneo just following Nemec. And

you know sometimes when you are on the hill, it is just a little test,

it gives you a bit of confidence that others were struggling on their

hill and it gives you confidence. But look how steep it is, it is

brutal. There is Augusto, opening up a bit of a gap. Spirig giving a good

account of herself, competing with the specialist distance runners.

Jessica Augusto is a former European cross-country champion and that

group suddenly splits apart. The secret is not their hill, it is

recovery from the hill. Augusto and the Spirig and Aguilar, just coming

up that hill, it is twice they have done it and they have two more to

go. This is going to be a war of attrition. There are going to be so

many changes in this event as the race goes on, so I wouldn't be

giving out any medals yet, there is so much running to do. Nemec trying

to stretch the hill, hill, Straneo, the World Championships

silver-medallist, and Abeylegesse say, former European champion at

5,000 and 10,000m, being closed down by Augusto, who looks comfortable. I

was watching Abeylegesse say the first time she went up the hill and

you could almost see the shock on her face, almost saying why am I

facing a hill like this? And the gap has opened up. You can get a lot of

information about your fellow athletes when you are climbing a

hill, even from the way their breathing sounds all a glance across

can show you if they are enjoying it or not. On the downhills, you can

see who's legs have taken a battering going up the hill and who

are suffering going down the hill. Learning a little bit about each

lap, about how the hill feels, how the tangents work and where would be

the best place to make a break. Paulo, the expression on her face

was why am I running up the hill like this? And that is a fair

question in a marathon in the middle of a city like Zurich. Yes, but

marathons do have hills in them. In Athens, the famous one, there is a

big climb and in New York, the course profile climbs more than this

event does, but the issue there is it is a gradual climb over the

bridges and different points in Central Park, which means the net

climb is higher, but here, it is done in a much shorter section and a

much steeper which takes more out of the legs and also that drop each lap

takes an impact and the takes its toll. This was designed to have a

hill in that. It was specifically designed. I do not think there is a

large amount wrong with that. I guess we would do that if we were

hosting. It would be nice to see a home win in one of the marathon is

here, just as it was great to see the stadium come to life last night

in the 400m hurdles. A bit disappointed to see no British

athletes in this event. We had some good athletes performing in the

Commonwealth Games, this is a team race as well. I am disappointed

there is no British athletes. Paula alluded to it being such a difficult

year and a lot of the British athletes, were involved in the

Commonwealth Games. Everybody aims for that, it was a big event in

Glasgow. One or two people were injured as well. Certainly one event

that you cannot do in both is the marathon. A lot of the athletes --

athletes took the view that they wanted to race in the Commonwealth

Games. I think also we do not have that depth to be able to go deeper

and have a second team competing here. We can almost blame Jo Pavey

for staying on the track! We will allow her that, she keeps winning

medals, she has had a great summer and more to come tonight. I think

the final tonight will be much more difficult. She will be given at 100%

again. Four women clear here. Their approach to the hill was different.

Elvan Abeylegesse looked like she was struggling. Lisa Christina Nemec

was leading. Christelle Daunay let them lead a little, but then came

back. Going up the hill, they were split apart, but they are back

together. It is course at management, not too hard up the hill

and Jessica Augusto we can see as they go down the street back towards

the lake, the four of them together. Jessica Augusto is not too far

behind. The point I was making, Lisa Christina Nemec seemed like she was

testing out the others. No real push from her, but it might be next time

around where she might think about doing it, Elvan Abeylegesse was

struggling a bit, she will be thinking about Christelle Daunay

holding back. This downhill section, crowds are building, it is a big

intersection. You change trams here. Big support, Nicola Spirig there,

the triathlon champion, her team-mate with her. There is the

Spanish runner. Jessica Augusto joined them and went past them.

There is the leading group, Elvan Abeylegesse for the first time

towards the front of the group. These three have to work together to

meant taming good position. A big app between them and Jessica

Augusto. The Portuguese athlete who is still close enough to the lead

group to be a factor -- a big gap. Elvan Abeylegesse has taken real

advantage of the downhill section to get back on level terms. She has

obviously recovered well. She is trying to get back into contact

after the hill. As they came down the hill, Swiss television have a

speedometer to clock the runners as they go past. Really? This is Smith

looking at her watch. We keep mentioning the team competition --

Lisa Christina Nemec. Italy were leading. It is about the pool at a

time and Portugal, Switzerland were leading -- culmative. It is the

culmative time. Russia may well improve their position, they were

forth at that point. Switzerland, these two were in that lead group --

fourth. That would be great, it would be a surprise if Switzerland

nipped in. A team prize for them. I am really impressed with Nicola

Spirig, she has run with the group. She is in the chasing group. The

triathlon champion showing what it takes. She is competing against the

best marathon runners in Europe, taking them on on her terms and I

think it is great. It's usually the training you have to do to be as

good as she is at the triathlon -- it shows you the training you have

to do. There is Elvan Abeylegesse there. Valeria Straneo. The French

record-holder, Christelle Daunay, Lisa Christina Nemec. They are

collecting themselves, working well together. The race is unfolding and

still be effort up those hills, two more times they have to tackle

backline and two more times we will see the field open and close again

and eventually that hill as they go past the Chinese garden along the

lakeside, a pleasant part of the course, beautiful aspect across the

hills, beyond Zurich and these athletes vying full for the flat

part and the risk by two from that climb and still Jessica Augusto,

former European cross-country champion, she has always promised to

do an awful lot in the marathon. Portugal have a great record in this

marathon. Jessica Augusto is good enough. She is running a very

controlled race and sticking to her own pays. She checks her splits

regularly and did not want to get sucked into an early pace -- pace.

We will get an idea now just how big the gap is. Back to Jessica Augusto

as she comes up to the line. 19 seconds, she is closing quickly on

them. She is doing it at her own pace and she is sticking well to her

race plan. She will be back in contact with that group. 34 minutes

and 20 seconds of the second ten kilometres section and that was a

bit of a pick-up of pace, not a lot, but they ran it a little bit

quicker, and you factor in the hill, Anna Incerti, the defending

champion, fearless Britain is struggling. -- Fionnuala Britton. It

is an interesting approach, she did not raise it all out and when she

realised she was not going to be amongst the medals, perhaps she

backed off. On the one hand, it is a difficult thing to do, making a

debut in the marathon, but when you're training for a marathon, you

get into good shape and when you stand on the start line, you should

be in personal best shape. First change at the front, Lisa Christina

Nemec is approaching the water station, Jessica Augusto will see

that one of the group has dropped off and it will give her something

to work towards. Out of the top five, all of them had team

management handing them drinks, except for Elvan Abeylegesse. She

had to get her own drink. Not really getting the support from the Turkish

team, they perhaps do not have enough people. There is another

water station on each lap, but these two at the front were handed it by

their team support. Do we know where the camera is? It is on the water.

It is a big boat. No, it is a little speedboat with two cameras on it.

Has it got a big mast? He will keep running along there and he will run

out of pavement! Lisa Christina Nemec was looking so good at that

hill, but she has dropped back. She is going through a bad patch. Just

pointing out to the left, that is a Henry Moore sculpture. Is this still

on the boat, the camera? No, it is a helicopter, I can hear it. It is a

big boat, with its own helicopter! Probably someone wealthy around

here. Lisa Christina Nemec struggling as we go through the

halfway point. That is what the plot was four, the halfway point. A

pretty decent pace being set -- that is what that clock was for. When you

see athletes dropping off, it gives you encouragement. Medals start to

be thought about when you get past the halfway point. Three working

together. Jessica Augusto, she can see Lisa Christina Nemec, I think

she will pass her and she will focus on the lead group. I am not sure

that she has dropped off the lead group match. She will hope that she

can stay strong and keep them in sight. Unfortunately for the

Croatian, it looks as though it will be a struggle. I think that half

marathon split time and serves some of those questions. As difficult as

this is, Lisa Christina Nemec is running inside personal best pays on

a difficult course. She was the winner in the zero marathon -- pace.

Sasha -- Zurich marathon. That was a different course. You would not want

to predict things. It is the halfway point. Two more hill climbs to come

and there are the three of them together. Christelle Daunay, Valeria

Straneo and Elvan Abeylegesse. You're talking about these three and

I like someone like Christelle Daunay, when you look at

Championship results, you look at what they have done before this,

anyone who has run a personal best or close to it, it is preparation

for these championships. I like what Christelle Daunay has been doing,

the races she has been running going into this. That time there, with the

type of course we have, it is pretty good running for that lead group.

Lisa Christina Nemec is dropping off, Jessica Augusto biding her

time. Abeylegesse say is still inexperienced. Straneo, if nothing

else, we know from how well she performed in Moscow last year that

she is mentally tough. Daunay, maybe coming into this with the first

chance of a big, big win for her. And will keep them inside as she

moves up, and issue goes into fourth position in the next minute or two,

she will think she has every opportunity. And the secret for her

is to keep it steady, don't just accelerate because there is an

athlete in your site. And as they go across the bridge, Augusto Moose

threateningly close to the leading group. Doing it steadily, gradually,

knowing the hills will take their toll. Straneo ran like this in

Moscow and ended up with a silver medal. Daunay and Abeylegesse say,

but three of those together, setting off on the last two laps of the

marathon. The drama of the marathon always unfolds in the second half of

the race and here we are into the second half. The former European

cross-country champion Jennifer Augusto, an accomplished to .24

marathon runner -- two point these three running together in a

terrific performance, I am sure triathlon magazines and triathlete

followers and the triathletes themselves will be marvelling at

this performance. This is a little incentive. I have talked a lot to

Alistair Brownlee about running across the real world-class distance

runners on the roads all the track and he will see this performance and

think, I would like to be in amongst that. He would be very good at ten

kilometres, could he live with the marathon? At the halfway, those in

the team competition are still in with a medal chance, with Italy

leading it. Straneo helping their case, in Churchill as well. Portugal

look strong. -- in Buhler is back in 20 Ninth Place and

is going a little further back through the field, so the two who

are well up there running really well, Spirig included, will hope

their third counter can keep going. The Russians will be strong but

Switzerland are still in with a chance of 18 medal. Is Augusto

catching these three, Paula? Is the gap working together a little bit?

Nemec going with Augusto, they look closer than a couple of minutes ago.

I think she is, she closed two seconds through the park section

from 20 kilometres to the half marathon point. I am quite pleased

with the way Nemec has latched onto her because it looked as if with the

speed Augusto went past, she would leave Nemec in her slipstream but

she has found new energy and running partner to work with. But that gap

is closing and it is the experience of Augusto showing here, although

she is chasing two very experienced athletes as well in the form of

Straneo and Daunay, who are pacing this really well. You can see the

relaxation on their faces. Abeylegesse say is a very good

runner, but I don't think she has the marathon racing experience of

the two athletes she is running with, which is why she is sitting in

behind the two of them. Nice Daunay and Straneo actually run

together -- ran together at the World Championships, and Daunay

finished ahead of the Italian. They will be very used to running with

each other, and many of these athletes know each other so well.

Those are the standings that I mentioned halfway with the team

competitions. It is great to see Switzerland at the moment in a medal

position. Did we explain that that is the sum of their time is the sum

of there? It does mean if you are isolated and running in no man's

land, how fast you run the still matter to the team score. Yes, as I

was saying, Buhler will have half of Switzerland saying, keep going. I

have a horrible suspicion that the three Russians are running together

may well move their way through an end up pipping Switzerland.

At the moment, Daunay, Straneo and Abeylegesse say with a lead of

around nine or ten seconds to Augusto and Nemec, just behind them.

And when they make the turn, they will be able to see the chasing pair

and they will just be coming into the picture. There they are. That

gap, I make it about ten seconds at the moment. Is it ten seconds? 10-15

seconds, I think, depending on how much they made up. It was 17 at half

marathon point. They will now work together and given away that are two

chasing athletes -- given the way that the two chasing athletes

attacked the incline last time, they will make up ground going up that

hill. I think the gap has closed a little bit, Paula. If you use that

traffic island as a marker, it is certainly a lot less than the 17

seconds it was not so long ago. So these three, when they make the

turn, will get a very good view. I just wonder whether this time

around, it wasn't these three, it was Nemec on the hell last time you

wonder whether or not on the hell they end up watching each other a

little bit and that gap can close a little more. Augusto has been very

good at making good judgements so far, keeping them inside -- in

sight. She will be aware that they are not getting any further away

from home. 16 seconds, you were right. She has just got to keep

that. It is just getting closer all the time. Nemec is saying, we can

get back to these if we work together. I am thinking that Nemec

went through a bad patch in that park, because she was looking very

good up the hill a second time and then she really seems to struggle

and drop off quite quickly and now she seems to have found her rhythm

again and is working well with Augusto to work back towards these

three, who do look really relaxed. Different styles of concentration on

their face, but nobody really showing signs of strain at this

point and I think they are starting to think where they might want to

make an attack, and also taking advantage of this section, as they

come into here, to see exactly what is happening behind and how those

other athletes are faring. Big crowds down in the start slash

finish area. Straneo is loving this. High-fiving the crowd. She is really

relaxed. She is a mother and she probably spotted that there's a girl

having a great time. I don't think she is any relation but she just

wanted to reward them, saying thank you the standing out in the rain and

encouraging them. -- for standing. Various Spirig, the Olympic

triathlete champion, who is struggling. She has lost a lot of

ground to her team-mate. The Swiss really did attack this in the early

stages. You can understand why, with the excitement of a course where

they certainly know the streets well, if not this particular

course, and all of the support out there, she needs to keep going.

Switzerland are still in with a chance. These three are relaxed, I

think all three of them are looking fairly relaxed to me. Daunay, it

will be interesting up the hill next time around, to see what happens,

see if any of them start to push on. If I had to put money on it now, the

first person to drop off that group, I would go with Abeylegesse say,

because of how she struggled up the hill, but she did get back into

contact quickly and she is quite a deceptive athlete to read from her

facial expressions and from the other athletes, from the way that

she sounds when she is running alongside you, you don't get a lot

of information about when she is struggling until she does drift back

from the back of the group. So the imposing towers Grossmunster in the

background, welcoming the marathon runners back onto the other side of

the river. Take a left turn here, Daunay just taking gel on board.

Aguilar and Incerti move away. Italy are looking good in the team race.

Through 25 K. I don't think that is 16 seconds, let's see what it is. 11

seconds, and the gap is closing all the time. Abeylegesse E is at the

back of the lead group, Augusto has very much got them in her sides.

Nemec, having tried to go with Augusto, has a bit of a gap between

herself and the Portuguese athlete. Still a bit of rain in the air, but

it is very good conditions for the marathon runners. Incerti coming

through for Italy, the defending champion, with Aguilar of Spain.

Then the first of the Swiss athletes, working hard up that

little rise, Neuenschwander. Spirig is starting to struggle their,

shorter stride length is now from the triathlete, slowing down quite

measurably. -- stride lengths. Plenty of coffee shops and cake

houses, whatever you want to call them, for people to watch the

marathon and pop off, have a bit of a break, lucky them. There is good

support out on the streets there as people are coming out on this

Saturday morning to cheer on their own. Neuenschwander and the Spirig

going pretty well, but that team race is something which is getting a

bit tighter now -- and Spirig. Not surprising, concentrating on

Spirig, the Swiss sports personality of the year last year, she won the

female section. Guess who won the male section once again? Roger

Federer. It wasn't a quiz, but you were quick. Do they have a short

list of ten? Yes. Who are the other nine? We can tell you one of them

from last night. He will be in this year's. I cannot name nine, I have

just racked my brains. Wawrinka, he is one. Shall we keep that one going

over the next hour? Just watch this, when she takes drinks, you are

allowed to take whatever you want, some people take gel, but she has a

sack of water, so she is drinking a carbohydrate fluid from inside the

bottle and spraying the water all over herself to cool herself down.

She is -- it is not particularly hot but she has obviously planned for a

warm and humid marathon. Here we are on the hell and Paul are correctly

predicted Abeylegesse they will struggle this time around. --

Paulo. I think Straneo and Daunay are very well prepared for this

European Championships marathon and look relaxed, look as though they

are taking the hill each time in the way that you should, not attack it

too much. But the gap between the three, particularly Abeylegesse,

Augusto will see the Turkish athlete is dropping of these two and give

her more encouragement. Is she the one time in this perfectly.

Interestingly is how they do when they come up off the hill and settle

again. ABBA legacy doesn't want to get it into her mind that she will

lose ground -- Abeylegesse. She is letting them go so she can level it

up on the flat. She did it at the first two times, I wonder if she can

do it on the third time. They turn again, the two leaders pulling a few

yards away. Daunay and Straneo, the Italian, who likes to be in the

front. We saw her leading in the World Championships last year, as we

look at the fourth-place coming around, I think she is fifth,

actually, Nemec. Ahead of her, Augusto and then Abeylegesse A.

Jessica Augusto looks like she is running smoothly. If you look at the

gap, it is actually less than the gap from Jessica Augusto and -- back

to Lisa Christina Nemec. She will gain a lot of encouragement. It will

show that her plan is working, her pace has been steady and consistent

and she is getting rewards by running back into medal contention

and hopefully getting back on terms with the leaders. When they turn

here, you can see by the angle of the road how steep this is. There is

Elvan Abeylegesse who is taking it steady. Jessica Augusto is working

hard and is pulling away from Lisa Christina Nemec. She is looking

there, Lisa Christina Nemec, eyes firmly set ahead. When they turn

this corner, there is that hill. You can see them working up this hill.

It is so tough, it really is. There is Jessica Augusto, smoothly into

it, within shooting distance of Elvan Abeylegesse for the first

time. Two very good distance runners. Jessica is timing it, will

we see drama in the marathon? It is a long drag. Elvan Abeylegesse

leaning forward, Christelle Daunay in second place. Jessica Augusto

will get a real boost if she can catch Elvan Abeylegesse on the

hill. I wonder if Elvan Abeylegesse, when it levels out, as it eventually

does, they turn again, Valeria Straneo has opened up a few yards. I

think the last time up the hill, Christelle Daunay did the same thing

drifted off a little bit towards the top and then made it up as they

levelled out onto the flat bed in front of the university and started

to come down the hill. Is testing -- bits. -- it is testing. There is

another ten kilometres lap to come. Elvan Abeylegesse is not comfortable

here. Jessica Augusto is coming right past her. She barely gave her

a glance. Do what your coach tells you, go straight past them, do not

give them a hint of hanging on. As they come across that great

viewpoint over the city, Valeria Straneo is leading, followed by

Christelle Daunay. It is tough, you have to judge this right, you make

an assumption that you are coming down well, you think you can close a

gap, it you do not put the effort end, just Tuesday with the

competitor and then hope you can close the gap. That hill is so

severe, it must be in their minds, they have to decide how to play it

and recovering from it is the other thing. It is no good to be good up

the hill, you need to be good coming down the hill as well. There is the

defending champion, Anna Incerti. She is running strongly. An lot will

change, this hill is having an effect -- an awful lot will change.

There is the Swiss competitor. There is the Swiss sports personality of

the year. Fionnuala Britton coming back again, that is good to see, I

am pleased to see her getting competitive. She is great up the

hills when it comes to cross-country running and she looks equally

distinguished here. Fionnuala Britton moving into ninth position.

She goes past Nicola Spirig. It looks as though she is running well

again. She is going strong up the hill. Just to go back to the team

scenario, Ireland are in seventh place, Switzerland are still hanging

on. The split is letting us know the gaps. Alessandra Aguilar there. She

will still have her sites on something. Jessica Augusto looks so

-- strong, but you would think that the experience of Valeria Straneo

and Christelle Daunay, it can still go wrong. I am pleased to say that

the Estonian triplets are still going well. They are in the team

race, but three of them. As far as the team competition is concerned,

there is only one team behind them, the Swedish contingent. At the

highest point, Fionnuala Britton needs to think about her

preparation. When you're making your debut, you making plans, planning

your working with the drinks, coming into this, she perhaps had an idea,

but decided that she had a few weeks before, it is a quick decision, it

does not give you much chance to practice, perhaps she has not got

comfortable with her tactics coming into this race. Now, as the race

goes on, she's becoming more comfortable and she looks better. I

wonder whether Jessica Augusto put too much effort into that hill. Look

what has happened. Elvan Abeylegesse has got away from her. Jessica

Augusto is probably as close to that lead, but Elvan Abeylegesse may be

resurgent again. Certainly she did not enjoy the hill. Even if she gets

back to these two, it will be on her mind, she knows she has to do with a

gain on the last lap and there will not be as much time to make up

ground again -- again. She looks as though she is trying to get back,

but she knows the hill is not her strong point. The marathon is a real

test of stamina and this course is making it an extra test and if you

look at the approach to the hill, clearly Elvan Abeylegesse in third

place again, is not comfortable on the hill. Jessica Augusto was

comfortable and now we are looking at four athlete and I am sure that

even now, things will change. -- athletes. Jessica Augusto has always

looked to be in control, set off by grows steadily and worked wade

through, for a moment was in third place, but conceded it -- works her

way through. Christelle Daunay decided on the hill but she would

let Valeria Straneo take it away and give her a gap and then close her

down. They are coming towards the park, the parkland alongside the

lake. Valeria Straneo being worse she has been all the time, at the

front, happy to be there -- being where she has been all the time.

They are running strongly and fast, particularly considering the

strenuous nature of this course. I think they both look very relaxed

and comfortable. Obviously fatigue is starting to play a role at this

stage, but they look very in control of their effort and they are

managing their very well. As is Jessica Augusto and Elvan

Abeylegesse is more comfortable on the downhill sections. She is able

to relax and run fast. She is making up the gap again, it is very fast

running according to The Times. On that point, in terms of running

marathons and what you wear and how that changes over the years,

particularly for the women, there are all sorts of options, because

Valeria Straneo, what she is wearing and Elvan Abeylegesse, Christelle

Daunay, it is personal preference. It is personal preference, some

consideration for weather conditions as well, and also what team kit is

provided and what is the choice you have to work from. Some athletes

prefer to race in a crop top like Jessica Augusto and others prefer

the best and shorts like Elvan Abeylegesse. It comes down to

comfort, what you wear when you are training and what you like to wear

when you are racing. Heart conditions can make you feel more

ready to race. -- hot. Elvan Abeylegesse is wearing a cap as

well. Not much sunshine. Just as I say that, as little bit of blue sky

has appeared. Already preparations are underway for the programme this

afternoon. The marathon runners down in the city centre not quite getting

the benefit of a bit of sunshine, but really good conditions. I am not

sure they need this Bray on a day like this. She is moving well. The

pace has been pretty much the same. The last few splits have still being

good running considering that hill is so difficult. It is interesting

to see that the splits are as consistent as they are. That is

because we have the uphill and downhill section in the same

sections. I do not think looking at the trees in the stadium that there

is a lot of Windsor. They will have to content with that. -- wind. I can

smell Coffey! -- coffee. When I used to go to the football match and

Paula is in the Bovril seat that we used to refer to. Do they still have

Bovril at the football? The football season starts today. Good luck to

everyone today. Start of a new football season. A big football area

here in is Iraq, a couple of teams play in front front of us -- 's Iraq

full -- 's Iraq. -- Zurich. Lisa Christina Nemec is really

struggling. Jessica Augusto, 18 seconds behind, Lisa Christina Nemec

is going backwards and Anna Incerti will think about catching her. She

has another look at her watch. There is a bit of a psychological blow for

Jessica Augusto. She has been making up ground. She has made up that gap

too much less than that and now has lost. She is still running strongly

and perhaps get closer again, but perhaps she has found out that the

two ahead of hers still have good running in their legs. That split

was slightly the slowest. The leaders have slowed slightly. These

two, Christelle Daunay, looking for the bottles for -- from the team

members, Valeria Straneo takes hers with no problem, 20 of room given

the lead groups and it is not too packed. -- plenty of room. Elvan

Abeylegesse did not seem to have anyone from her team earlier. We

will see if she grabs a bottle. Speak she has had them placed there,

there's nobody from her team but it is on the table. Sometimes it is

easy to pick it up the table, especially if the team official

hasn't done the job before, they need to hold it on the flat of their

palm, it makes it easier. And Augusto has hers marked with a

Portuguese flag, a tale over from the major city marathons where you

have to pick it up from the table and want to be able to recognise it

as you are coming in. On the previous lap, I saw Daunay put her

hand up as if to say, handed to me, and when she got there, they did

handed to her, rather than leaving it on the table. Anyway, drink

safely negotiated. Few Fionnuala Britton starting to make

some progress. I can't see her making her way up much further,

though. So through the park, alongside the lake, twisting and

turning section, there is the matting over the grass, and then

they will come onto the road. That was the halfway mark one lap to go.

So this time, they are coming towards the end of their third big

lap and then they will be heading out for the last time on the ten

kilometre loop. Augusto, issue close enough? -- Ichi. Is she going to

have to rely on one of them dropping back closer to her? Still moving OK.

As we look further down the field, the team race is still very much up

for grabs, and position is changing all the time. I think a lot of

people are struggling. This course, as was suggested, is going to be

tough and not too many people are coping all that well. Spirig has

dropped down to 15th place after setting out in the lead group, the

triathlete is now struggling somewhat. And I think that will be

do badly delayed due to fact that she hasn't got the specific time on

her legs for marathon training -- that'll be due to the fact. It is

running on tarmac, basically, for 26 miles, which you do need preparation

for. You cannot run it after crosstraining, which is what she is

essentially trying to do, with the swimming and bike background that

she has. Italy and Portugal have actually got three counters through

the 30 kilometre point. Just as I say that, the computer is telling me

that the next team to have three through our Russia, they have moved

into the top three, partly because Spirig is just drifting back through

the field and losing time. These two are gaining, if anything, in terms

of their stature in this race, but not on Augusto, she still has them

in sight, it is still a gap that can be closed, and things can happen on

this last lap, that last big hill, or couple of sections of the hill,

to content with. Augusto, Brendan, she might think she is tired, they

have got to be tired, and anything can happen in this last six or seven

miles. It is still a case of application to the task. She has run

a controlled race. She had that uphill path where she ran extremely

well, maybe got a little bit carried away, but she caught Abeylegesse and

passed her, and as she looks down the road, there are the leaders.

Daunay of France, the French record-holder for 10,000m, the half

marathon and the marathon. And on that bend, Straneo, who ran so well

in the World Championships. It is a good vantage point from the bridge,

you see the athletes on eight occasions coming back and forth and

the two of them are locked together in battle. Stride for stride, and I

wonder, I imagine, Paula, the hill will be starting to tick over in

your mind, because that could be where the race is won or lost.

Certainly, I think the strategies will be able starting to take over

in their mind, they will be trying to gather as much information about

each other and how they seem to be feeling in the race and how they

have felt on this course, particularly in areas where they can

gain a second or two over their rival and are getting ready to

gather themselves for when that attack might come on this last lap.

On the switchback, they will have taken the chance to see how big the

gap was too Augusto, and maybe at the drinks station, to get some

information from the official. But those two at the front are thinking

more about what they need to do to win the race rather than what they

need to do to hang onto a medal. Abeylegesse say, the worst position,

you could argue to be in, in a marathon, fourth place. All she can

hope for is she finds something on this last lap, but the three ahead

of very experienced athletes, three who you think have made the right

judgements and as Paula said, they will be thinking how they can try

and win this now, with Augusto thinking she can keep going and be

strong enough to pick one of them of. -- off. A quick correction on

the team, Switzerland are just hanging on, Beth Gerd Kanter came

through late, -- the third counter. So they do have a slim lead, but I'm

not sure how much longer it will last. Portugal still have a chance

of beating Italy as far as the team race is conserved, there is only a

couple of minutes. It might sound like a lot, but it is amazing how

over three athletes, it isn't a lot. I think as far as Italy are

concerned, it is good that Straneo is going well and Incerti, their

second counter, is moving through the field, rather than fading. There

are the leaders. Those two, still nobody making a move, it is a case

of waiting. That hill, we have seen them have a different approach to

the hill, we have seen different tactics being employed, as we look

at the third-place runner, Jennifer Augusto, who, remember, won a silver

medal in the 10,000m in 2010 in Barcelona and, incidentally, on that

day, she finished behind the athlete right behind her now, Abeylegesse.

Nemec is still hanging on in fifth place. We missed out Abeylegesse say

on that swoop from the camera. If she is still there, that is. Nemec

is running smoothly and steadily and you can see she can just see

Abeylegesse as they come around the corner, she is just ahead of the

cyclist accompanying her, who are there to protect the athletes, to

stop anybody running onto the cause, as we have seen mad priests do in

the past. It is harder to ride a bike up the hill by running and when

you are running, you are passing most of the cyclists. Speak for

yourself. I used to. So this is the little turnaround. It brings them

back towards the start finish line and then they know they are going to

be starting this last lap. So probably about 30 minutes or so of

running left. Jennifer Augusto just negotiating that corner. Abeylegesse

just struggling a little bit. It looks as if she is labouring now,

Abeylegesse. As we look over this beautiful city of Zurich, and the

Italian team still leading the team race. It looks like a Portuguese

team are in second place, and Switzerland in third, but everything

can change. If one athlete drop side, it blows the thing completely.

But these two together, although the camera does fall short and that, you

can see the race really is on -- does shorten that. Will this be the

finishing order? I don't know, I have seen it so many times in the

marathon, it does change. You come up to two hours, the body runs out

of energy. It is how well they have stored the energy, including those

gel drinks. In this case, beyond the 20 mile point, the to our point,

they have a climate which must be significant in a race like this. --

a climb. She is still running pretty well. I am surprised at the place

that has been maintained, given the hill. OK, in terms of 2:20

marathons, we weren't going to get that here today, but they are

running at a good pace and Straneo, her best is only 2:23, I say only,

and they have not been far outside that pays all the way and for

Daunay, this is a really good pace. She has been in good heart marathon

pace, 68.48 this year, not far off her personal best. We suspected they

might slow in this next section, we will get a split in a little while.

We suspect it might be a little slower, but that is to be expected,

I think. It is a tough course, attritional. Paulo, at this point,

would the hill be on your mind would you be thinking about gauging your

effort or planning it -- Paula? I would be planning for it, planning

how I am going to get up that hill, and depending on how I was feeling,

gauging how the others were responding up the hill. A good

tactic is to attack hard on the last section of the hill and maintain it

over the hill. A lot of athletes have made a ground there because

some are taking time to recover from the effort of running up the hill,

so it is a good place to make up ground if you maintain the effort in

the final part of the uphill section into the flat section. So back the

Bahnhofstrasse -- back-up the Bahnhofstrasse. Loads of rumours

about what is buried here, in terms of where they keep their money,

whether little gnomes are -- where the little gnomes R. Where all the

gold is stored. Who knows? So Augusto, trying to hold a position,

trying to keep them inside, hoping she can be strong up the hill,

hoping one of them falls apart. But she is certainly not closing on them

anymore. If anything, they are moving away slightly. I think

everybody is slowing down in these latter stages. Not by a lot, not

enough to give too much hope to those behind, but these two are

locked together. I think the other factor is that after the first five

kilometres section of the last ten kilometres, if you like, it is a

good place to sit back and little bit and gather yourself to cancer

and get prepared for any efforts for the last five kilometres -- gather

yourself to counter. There you can see the purple line we have talked

about, it replaces the blue line which usually marks the shortest

line that the marathon course is measured along and Abigail Alessi is

doing a good job of running along that line. -- avec

if you are choosing the best line, the best place to run on tired legs,

it is along the crest of the camber, rather than having one they

can essentially shorter than the other. -- one leg. The first to have

crossed the bridge and running alongside the river before they have

that incredibly difficult climb. This time, Valeria Straneo wants to

be in the lead before they get to that Klein. Remember, the last

couple of times, we have seen a slightly different approach --

climb. The grout between Jessica Augusto in third place has grown --

gap. She needs to conserve herself, decide how to run on that hill. The

gap behind her, back to Elvan Abeylegesse looks as though that has

been increasing. They will come across the cobbles on the bridge.

You can see the figure of one of the next athletes, Elvan Abeylegesse,

she is quite a long way behind Jessica Augusto. It looks as though,

unless we have a real drama on this hill, as Elvan Abeylegesse crosses

in the shadow of the Twin Towers, there are she turns left and gets

the crowd, get some support and she needs it, remember how badly she

struggled up that hill and she must be thinking that she is losing that

place. Jessica Augusto, third place, 20 seconds behind the leading pair

and Elvan Abeylegesse is a minute behind. The first three look as

though they are clear and will be the first three, but we do not know

the final positions. Elvan Abeylegesse will come under attack

from Lisa Christina Nemec. Elvan Abeylegesse is very tired. They did

not slow down over the five kilometres, they looked as though

they were tiring, but they ran a little bit quicker. I think that is

why we saw the gap grows slightly and Jessica Augusto has picked up

her pace, but so has the leading pair. Is that Jonathan Edwards? He

has not climbed that many stairs, noway! A great vantage point, one of

those twin towers. -- no way! That towers over the city, that building.

Towering over this marathon, the two athletes, Valeria Straneo and

Christelle Daunay. What will happen here? This could be the pivotal

point of this race, can Jessica Augusto make any inroads into the

lead? They are the athletes in the medal positions and this hill goes

up one section and then it goes up gradually and they have another

steep section and this is where suddenly it can all fall apart for

you, you think you are OK and that is the trouble with marathon

running, when it goes, it goes altogether. In a race like this, he

would have been saying that loud and clear. There are still streaming

through and the gaps have opened. This is a difficult marathon. The

site tells them that they have a climb ahead and it will be

interesting to see how that involves. Three athletes look as

though they are clear. Which three will come back for the medals, well,

I would like to see. Here we are further down the field. There is the

Swiss athlete. Maja Neuenschwander there and the Spanish runner. Here

we are back with the leaders, halfway through this difficult

uphill. We will swing around here and climb and climb. The very last

one is the one which will be the decider. This time, Christelle

Daunay of France stays with Valeria Straneo, but this looks as though

Valeria Straneo is making a move and look at Jessica Augusto in the

bronze medal position. She has been a silver medallist in the European

Championships at 10,000 metres, we have seen her run well on the roads

in the past and we have seen her in the Great North Run. Elvan

Abeylegesse is under pressure, that hill has not suited her. She will

have found it difficult on the Hill. That is what happened last time, she

recovered last time, but I wonder if she will recover this time. That has

been her downfall today, the hill, but Elvan Abeylegesse has not been

able to content with it. Jessica Augusto has done OK, but she is

watching the two ahead of her, still staying strong, still working

together. When you get into the steep section, it will be

interesting to see if Christelle Daunay lets Valeria Straneo push on.

Christelle Daunay, just an metre or two behind Valeria Straneo, the

silver medallist from last year. Jessica Augusto from Portugal clear

in third place. Still looks quite relaxed, but is not really doing

anything to suggest that she could chase the leading pair. Here we are,

Valeria Straneo using those arms, marathon runners, your arms do get

tired and they are big help on any hill. There is the gap and

Christelle Daunay will not want that to grow too much. She can make that

up on the downhill. This is brutal distance running. They are being

tested by a hell that is difficult. You would not want to climb this, it

is too difficult, it is to steep -- hill. They are still climbing.

Christelle Daunay, on the last hill, was able to close the gap. Jessica

Augusto is working hard at this severe end climb. The crowd roaring

her on. She will need that support -- incline. Jessica Augusto is

running well. She is not looking at the top of the hill, she is

concentrating on keeping the effort going smoothly and strongly and when

she gets to the top, she will want enough left in her legs to handle

the downhill. That is the price that Elvan Abeylegesse is paying now. You

need to relax down the hill rather than make a hard effort. Your legs

will pay for that in a road race. If you watch these two, there is more

in the left from Christelle Daunay which does not necessarily help the

cars Valeria Straneo has a nice little choppy stride. When

Christelle Daunay gets onto the flat, that will be other advantage.

She is moving much better and I think that is a bit of a pendulum

swing towards Christelle Daunay, because Valeria Straneo did not get

away ten metres, they came up the hill together and that is to the

advantage of Christelle Daunay. I thought that was significant. The

pedestrians have come up on the railway to get to the highest point

of this course. We are looking at the Institute of Technology in that

magnificent old building as we see Lisa Christina Nemec climbing and

climbing at making your way to the top of the climb. Elvan Abeylegesse

has struggled again and it is not surprising. Four times up a hill

like this in the middle of a marathon full-time --. Is she still

maintaining her pace? Lisa Christina Nemec has maintained her pace. You

can see her checking her time. You can see the effort on her face. At

least you can take respite from the fact that once she has crested this

hill, it is pretty much all downhill and flat for the rest of the race.

Elvan Abeylegesse focusing on the road in front of her and not looking

up. You do not want to look up and see how far you have to go, you know

having to run this hill, having done it three times already, you know how

far it is. She will be happy to get to the high point of this course and

know it is only a few kilometres to the finish line. Only a few

kilometres to go to the finish line and now the drama beginning to