BBC One: Day 9: 10.50-13.30 Olympics

Everywhere around the country, people hopped out of bed this

morning thinking, right, which sport can I have a go at? We have

won 14 gold medals, and we have been gripped by the dedication,

commitment and talent of our Great Britain team. The message of this

London Olympics has been to inspire a generation. There are children

all over whose life choices will have been changed by what they have

seen. But it is not just the younger generation. Have a look at

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 73 seconds

With many thanks to the residents of that house. The Opening Ceremony

said, this is for everyone. At the BBC, we believe that, too. If you,

or any of your relatives, want to have a go, make sure you take a

photograph and share it with us. Great Britain are up to third in

the medals table, but the world is bigger than just Great Britain. At

the Aquatics Centre last night, the man with the most Olympic medals

A special presentation to Michael Phelps. He was presented with a

special award in recognition of his historic achievement - 22 medals in

total, 18 of them gold, four of those here in London. He has won

more than most countries. But also at these Games, he has shown his

personality, his sense of humour, his love of competition, his

respect for his fellow competitors. He was lovely with Chad le Clos,

showing us how gracious he can be. Going around the pool last night,

he stopped to pose for photographers who had spent so long

chasing him. We hope this will become a fine day to see the sights

for all of us, because the Marathon combines top-class sport with

televisual sightseeing. The route is different from the London

Marathon, and it gives the spectators more than one chance to

see the learners, because they do laps. I cannot wait for it. But

spare a thought for the athletes, those who wanted more than anything

not to be watching, but to be there, running for Great Britain.

A lot of my best thinking time is when I am running. It is just my

time. That's me in my element. COMMENTATOR: Broken-hearted, Paula

Radcliffe. It is not really about pooling of what went wrong. You

COMMENTATOR: an absolutely scintillating run by Paula

Radcliffe! This woman really is a phenomenon. A new world record, a

fantastic performance. You have not let anybody down. Paula Radcliffe

becomes the world champion at last. The it is happiness, but relief as

well, because it had been a long time coming. It is a sad sight to

see such an athlete struggling in such a way. There were never going

to be any medals today. It was all about a personal battle. The

Olympics has never worked out for Paula Radcliffe, but she is still

the world record holder for the Marathon, and she has confirmed her

career is not over. You can see the crowds lining the route for this

Olympic Marathon. We have on our team this morning, two experts. Liz

Yelling competed in Athens, and Tanni Grey-Thompson also has many

Paralympic gold medals. We can join them on the Mall. About 1.5 hours

ago, I was getting worried about the weather, because I thought it

was going to be too warm. This is the strongest Women's Marathon

field we have seen for a long time - whose do you think will be

challenging? There is amazing depth of this year, we have got six

people who have gone below 2.20. We have got 20 people who have gone

below 2.25. It is immense. The best runners are looking to be right up

there. Of course, you have got the Africans, both from Ethiopia and

Kenya. But we have also got great runners from China, Japan and

America. What about Britain? think we have got a great team. It

is sad not to see Paula Radcliffe going, but the others will be great.

I think Claire Hallissey could be a dark horse. Freya Murray coming in,

she has got no expectations on her, no pressure. This will be her

second Marathon, and I think she has got nothing to lose. We could

see the British girls featuring in the top 15, definitely. We know it

is going to be a tough and challenging race today. Over to our

commentators, Brendan Foster and STEVE CRAM: Good morning to

everybody, and we are already wet! But that will not matter to anybody.

It is an intriguing race. The favourite I think will be Keitany.

So, the Olympic Marathon about to Keeping them waiting... It is not

as though they are going to be nervous, as you might be for a

track race, but I think they want to get under way! Away they go. A

huge roar goes up from the crowd which has gathered on the Mall.

Brendan Foster, you and I have been having a bit of a chat, and it is

pretty good weather for Marathon runners, not for the commentators,

but we are not important. It is great, first of all, to see so many

people here. It is an intriguing race in prospect - we have got a

long way to go, obviously, but let's get your thoughts on the

favourite, Keitany, would you agree with that? I would say the

favouritism would land initially on the winner of the London Marathon,

yes. But we're going to see London in all its glory, and we're going

to see the Marathon being led by the defending champion, in the blue

vest, in the middle. London has turned out for these Games in

amazing fashion. There she is, the reigning champion, the surprise

winner in Beijing, Dita. She ran away in the middle of the race in

that one. Already, an athlete being carried off the course. That is a

shock. She must have been carrying an injury. They have only been

going about 150 metres. They go underneath Admiralty Arch. The army

lining this part of the route. Haven't they done a brilliant job

in the last few days in terms of security? The umbrellas are out,

because the rain is still coming down. But Londoners are still

responding to these Olympic Games responding to these Olympic Games

in tremendous fashion. Two minutes they have been running, with almost

2.5 hours to go. They have been waiting for this one, and next week

we will have the Men's Marathon, but today's, -- today, these are

very good conditions for Marathon running. Of course, this is very

different from the London Marathon. It will be run in laps, which is

the trend these days in the major championships. We will take you

through the detail of the route shortly. It will be going along the

Embankment, up towards St Paul's and the Tower of London, and back

towards the Mall. But before that, they will do a short her lap. They

will be coming into an area which you will be familiar with, if you

watch the closing stages of the London Marathon. The course has

been designed to try to show off some of the sights of London, which

is great. Also, by having laps, it means that people can come out on

the streets and not just see them going past once, they will see them

three or four times, and get the chance to observe the Olympic

Marathon up close. It is great to see that so many people have come a

long, despite the weather. There's the first sight of Yamaguchi, on

the far side of the picture. Our leading contender here. She was

sixth in the Beijing Olympics. Their she is, on the right-hand

side of the picture, just behind one of the great Marathon runners,

Mikitenko. Just the other day, Freya Murray, who was at work last

Thursday when she heard the news about Paula Radcliffe pulling out,

that she was in the team. I think she was in ASDA! She is an engineer,

she was in Newcastle when she heard the rumour, then eventually, she

got the official fungal. Freya Murray, from Scotland, based in the

north-east of England. Clare Hallissey, from Bristol, and

married Yamaguchi, from Harrow. I spoke the other day to Clare

Hallissey, and she said she was going into The Office to tidy up

some outstanding jobs, and then she was going to switch on her computer

to give a standard reply, out of office, to e-mails. I bet there

were not many athletes who were at work last Monday, running in these

of the distance athletes left work, but the boss, ran his race and then

got the bus home again. It's changed a little bit these days.

But we are hoping that the British trio can do quite well. I have to

tell you may be not to expect too much. Yamauchi has been struggling

with a heel problem. She's been receiving treatment up until the

last minute and was in Portugal around here. Touch the lamp-post

and back. This is just to make up the exact distance. People

sometimes wonder how you measure a course. You start at the finish

line and go backwards. This is the shot that Huw Jones, the course

in all its splendour here. Through Westminster Square and then this is

the more familiar part that people will be aware of. When the London

Marathon is run proper, they come down Birdcage Walk once they've

gone through Westminster Square and round to Buckingham Palace. That

will bring them back into the more again and completing the short lap.

Then we will be off. If you are organising a course in London and

you start at The Mall, Steve, you said they are showing off the sides

of London. To be honest, it's difficult not to show off the sides

of London when you take the central London based. Doesn't it look

fantastic? The atmosphere in London has been wonderful for throughout

the week. I think we are looking at one of the Irish runners. We can't

marathon, you do rely on a bit of technology with helicopters, etc.

But when the cloud base is as low as this, it can sometimes be a bit

difficult. But hopefully we'll be able to give you full coverage of

big names already to the fore. Kara Goucher is in the red. From New

Zealand, Kim Smith, who has been talking about how she's been

preparing for this and looking forward to coming and competing in

London. She thinks the course and weather conditions might help her

if they were expecting sunshine or if it is just to keep the rain out

of her eyes. At the moment it is weather. A bit of a chat going on

between two of the Ethiopian is. Goucher making her presence felt

there. Pushing through with the elbows. The fastest marathon runner

in the field in the red top and blue shorts, just behind her,

should recover. But the big names, the Kenyans, Keitany and her team-

mates, they are sheltering behind side of the course from the crowds

during these athletes on. I hope they don't get too carried away

with that cheering, because they really need to settle down. We will

try to give you some of the splits round soon. The first lap is just

over two miles and then three eight kilometres, as they are showing on

the bottom. Right in front of the Palace and all the way down The

Mall. These crowds have been responding in glorious fashion.

Still excited from what we saw last expect it to be at this stage. --

the pace is not fast. But the noise coming from the streets, it's

certainly going to lift these athletes. They will be used to run

into many marathons with this sort city yet as such. Zhu has a lot of

experience, the Chinese can always be reckoned to put in a decent

performance. Straneo, she's found some form late in her career as

well. Lots of women where age is not so much a factor. Constantina

Dita, the defending champion who is in the race here, at 38. She went

on and won the gold medal. Many women start to run their better

times at the marathon into their great set-up here. It is. The two

American training partners, Kara Goucher and Shalane Flanagan, they

just run past us. The two of them in the red strip of the United

States. Often the Americans were navy blue colours. I can see Freya

Murray at the back of the leading group and Clare Hallissey just

ahead of her. There is Benita Willis in the yellow and green of

Australia. The green and gold famous colours in every sporting

London before. We've seen two Olympic Games in London before. The

marathon distance was established in London in 1908 as 26 miles 385

yards. That is the distance that has become the marathon. In 1948,

the Games were held here and the marathon finished in White City.

Here today, the regal setting for the women's marathon, starting and

finishing outside Buckingham Palace Arch, they will be greeted by the

crowds in Buckingham Palace. What a We are getting better and better,

which I know is not important but... It makes it quite tricky. I've got

some friends from De la Salle who love a one-night say things like

wetter and wetter. -- from down athletes, if not for those

themselves out a little bit. Don't really expect anything to happen

for quite a while. I'm not sure anyone will try to push things on a

are. They've completed the first short lap. They will turn left

along the Embankment. The previous time they took a right-hand turn.

They get a good view of the London marathon runners have run miles and

miles and miles in all sorts of conditions preparing for this. Some

of them head off into the big city marathons where it is hot and humid.

They also run many races where right at the back of that group,

it's starting to spread about the little bit. The first FE station. -

drinks, they are prepared the night before and put out on the course.

Occasionally we see odd things happen in bed. The defending

champion, no thoughts of her coming and defending her title but it's

his good to see her here. It is. She's carried the mantle of Olympic

champion very well. She has gone all around the world and entered

races and has been opportunities all around the world to see the

Olympic champion running. You see the flags at the side of the road.

This race has been organised by the London Marathon team, who we know

do a marvellous job organising a mass participation event we have

here every year. The famous London Marathon. Here, the London Marathon

team are organising, led by Nick Patel. They are organising an alley

to race. They are giving as much position and detail in the

organisation to the elite athletes as they do to the masses when it

comes to the London Marathon itself. These athletes will be well looked

after. They were warming up in the early stages, they all had tents

and tables behind us in The Mall. They've been well prepared and well

looked after. There is Kiplagat looking for her drink. Rushing

across to the side. Jeptoo, the other Kenyan athlete, recognising

to keep taking on the liquid and keep taking on your personal drink,

energy, a small amount of carbohydrate and a electrolyte

very bloodied, big puddles appearing on the road. -- very

Flood it. It's a very flat course. No hills to speak of. They turn

away from the Embankment and climb drop back down from the Tower of

London on to the river front. It's more of a twisty and turning course.

It will break up the rhythm in that at the front. You can see how many

women now run and at 2.20. It used British contingent. Freya Murray

was speaking earlier on, obviously she did not know she was going to

be running, but I'm not sure Shias had this with his preparation she

would have liked, but she was never going to turn down the opportunity.

This young lady will be familiar to many athletics fans on the road, on

the track and in cross-country of course, the Portuguese athlete

Jessica Augusto. She looked like she was going to make a decent

transition to the marathon, but she is a fair way off the leading pack

at the moment. Heading towards Blackfriars. You can see Shalane

Flanagan. The Americans had their trialled right at the beginning of

the year. It is a different system to that operated by many teams. It

is not a question of your personal best, how you perform in the big

city marathons, that does not matter, it all comes down to the

trial race for them. Again, big crowds here. Just looking on our

computer, talking about the Americans, one of them has already

dropped out, so their contingent is already down to two, following the

withdrawal of Davila. MARK FOSTER: You get that, a couple

of weeks before the race, problems occurring, like happened with Paula

Radcliffe. We're getting split times, so we will be able to keep

in touch. The Italian Straneo there. Barros of Portugal is in there. I

can see Mikitenko in that group as well. It will be interesting to see

how well she goes. She has run in the London marathon, she knows the

atmosphere here. We can see where the leaders are. 35 kilometres to

go. The crowds gathering towards St for the next two or three miles. It

breaks up the rhythm a little bit. There has been talk about

selections and having trials, but the Ethiopian has just pretty much

went for their three quickest times, two of which were set in Dubai,

very different conditions to this, of course. But there were others

they could have chosen, whose style might have suited this particular

course. We saw the wonderful sight of St Paul's, and there it is, a

pretty good vantage point for everybody. St Paul's Cathedral

features in the history of the Olympic Games, because it was in

1908 when the Bishop of Pennsylvania gave a sermon, where

he said, it is not the winning but the taking part which is important

in the Olympic Games, and that motto has become one of the mottos

of the Olympic Games. In those days, 1908, there was trouble and strife,

arguments, between the Americans and the British about the rules of

athletics, in particular. That sermon from the Bishop of

Pennsylvania was an attempt to calm down the tensions. Well, you can

say at these Olympic Games, there has not been any attention. It has

been brilliantly organised. Our good friend Sebastian Coe must have

been delighted last night. He did say he was not worried about the

medal table for Great Britain, but he wanted great moments in sport to

come from these Olympics Games. Well, he could not have written the

script better. Seb Coe came round and said hello during the evening

last night, and I bet he was jumping up and down when he saw

three gold medals. It was a fantastic performance by Jessica

Ennis, then a great long jump by Greg Rutherford, and then, to cap

it all off, a first long-distance gold medal by Mo Farah. He would

have been interested in the marathon, naturally, but I was just

speaking to his physiologist, and Mo was busy recovering straight

after the race, then having a massage and physio last night, and

then an ice bath to cool down the muscles, then just an easy jog this

morning, before getting ready for the 5,000m later in the week.

museum of London. We are almost on the edge of the business district

area, heading back to St Paul's, then they will take a lead, and

head up towards the Guildhall area. This is a pretty strong pace, it is

not fast, but it is good enough. The Americans have been happy to

push things along at the front. The Ethiopians have been very quiet,

since we saw them coming to the front to get their drinks. Shalane

Flanagan and Kara Goucher know each other so well. Kara Goucher

announced herself at the Great North Run, when she beat Paula

Radcliffe a few years ago. The Americans are going to have high

hopes. We can go all the way back to 2004, may be a surprise medal on

that occasion. I just wonder whether the Americans think they

have got a chance of doing the same sort of thing here. The Americans

are certainly trying to take hold of long-distance running. Last

night, they got second behind Mo Farah. And now, these two in the

marathon. Marut Yamauchi was in the second group, a fair way back

already. But you can see three good Ethiopians all in that leading

group. Three Kenyans, outstanding athletes, each of them, all in that

leading group. It is quite interesting to see the East African

stars. They are not really interested in the pace. The Olympic

Games is all about position, the time does not matter. There are no

pacemakers, as we are used to in the major city marathons. The field

they have got assembled here for this Olympic Games marathon, it is

absolutely terrific. You could not get a stronger field in a major

marathon in the world than we have got here today. The London marathon

over the years has had some fantastic athletes in it, and some

fantastic performances. But Dave Bedford and Nick Patel, by the

organisers of the London marathon, they would be thrilled to get a

field together like this. But you cannot do it, because the athletes

are looking towards the Olympic Games. Claire Hallissey of Great

Britain coming through now. I am looking further down the field, we

have not seen Freya Murray at. Brendan and I will be doing our

best to keep you updated. I have to tell you, the water is getting in

our workings here, the computer, so what you can see on your screen is

the best we have got. But we will try to make sure that that is

rectified. As Brendan was saying, you can see Mara Yamauchi. Clare

Hallissey, just a bit further back. You might just see them. We are

looking to see if we can see Freya favourite coming to the front. The

pre-race favourite, for the first time coming to the front, probably

for the drinks. There you go. Everybody bunches up through the

feed station. You know what, they never practise this, do they? They

never say, let's get 20 of us out there, we will practise running up

to a table and grabbing a drink! You can see the three Kenyan

athletes rushing up to the table, checking the names on the bottles.

Mary has got her a drink, she is quite happy. There's Mara Yamauchi.

She has had a bruised heel, I know she was not happy before she set

off this morning. She said she wanted to give it a go. That's a

real shame, because Mara Yamauchi has shown that she can compete in

the big events, when she is fit, when she is healthy. And she has

tried so hard, like Paula Radcliffe, to get herself ready for this. She

wanted to give it a go, see what would happen. I think inevitably,

you cannot run 26 miles when you're carrying an injury, really. But she

will be so disappointed only to get to five kilometres. She is in tears.

I don't know is she is trying to get some medical assistance. That's

clever, the crowds were inside the leaden Hall market. That's where

you would be, wouldn't you? It continues to pour down here. But

the good news is that it helps the runners. It is good for the

will be heading up towards the Tower of London, one of the

familiar sight of the London marathon, that's where they will do

their switchback. Constantina Dita, the defending champion, just going

through the market. A long way behind the leaders, which is not

unexpected. She stole a march in Beijing - they were all looking at

each other, she took off at the front, and a lot of them thought,

we will let her go, but of course, they never caught her. The silver-

medallist thought she had won at one point, because she had not even

noticed that Constantina Dita broke away, so she was shocked in the

late stages when her coaches told her she was in second place. This

time, they are running right across the road. Every other race they run,

they have pacemakers, but they come to the Olympic Games, it is a race,

the time does not matter, it is a completely different nature. In the

big marathons, they run in single file, almost. Here we have 10

across the road, with 10 kilometres gone. They are beginning to think

about the race itself. 32 kilometres to go. Kara Goucher

still in that group. The Italian there. Behind the leading group I

can see Jessica Augusto, who won the Great North Run a couple of

years ago. You would sense there's enough of them here that the metals

are going to be sorted out from that group. There is the Tower of

slower than the first five. Still a steady pace. That is why that group

is so large, nobody wanting to push on a tour yet. This is where they

embankment. The Shard in the start to stretch out along the

Embankment, we are going to see athletes going in different

directions. It can be a little bit soul-destroying when you can see

the leaders a long way ahead of you. The first lap was two Miles and the

other three laps are eight miles. They are halfway round the first of

tickets. Lots of people didn't get tickets to watch the athletics, but

here they are getting the chance of building. Particularly because the

athletes from Great Britain have been doing so marvellously well.

Third in the medal table. You couldn't have envisaged that years

ago. It was the invention of the National Lottery, the National

Lottery funding and governing bodies in UK Sport. Between them,

the governing bodies, UK Sport and the National Lottery have

transformed British sport in this country. And they've also supported

the Olympic Games, and that whole thing was something we could never

have imagined in 1980, when I remember we went to the Moscow

Olympic Games and the government didn't want the British team to go

there because there was a Russian invasion of Afghanistan. Over the

years, the government attitude towards sport has become more

serious, concerned and more helpful. Look at the benefits that the

country is reaping from the London and watch the Olympic Games and say,

I was there. It is going to be a government bodies to almost

reinvent themselves. Winning medals is not something to be shied away

from. Over the last 12 years, particularly since City, the

programmes through sport have been making us better and better. You go

back to that time when the lottery first came in. Great Britain were

36 the in the medal table, won one gold medal at the Olympic Games in

rowing. That was it. Now you see gold medal after a gold medal. They

were brilliant in the stadium last night. Just to pick up on how that

has even helped, because Marathon running, the London Marathon and

the London Marathon itself has been part of the programme in UK

Athletics. It's been contributing towards the insurance programme.

Helping them said a big camps in Kenya at altitude, etc. It just

shows you if you invest and give resource to particularly those who

want to put the hard work in and the training and to support them

with science and medicine, etc, you can reap the rewards. The whole

attitude has changed. I remember back in the 70s and 80s, the

British Olympic Association and the governing bodies of sport for

almost an obstacle to success for the athletes and performers. Now

they have become supportive of the whole area. That is exactly what

has made the difference. We are all trying to help athletes get better.

That wasn't the case back then. Look at the benefit to the nation,

the response that the nation has given to these Olympic Games. You

can't knock that and you can't argue with that now. It has been a

fantastic vision that people have had to bring the Olympic Games to

London. Look at what has happened - fantastic! This is Shigetomo, from

Japan. Looking at the lead group, I can see off the back of it that

Freya Murray and Claire Hallissey are still there. Mara Yamauchi has

already had to drop out with an injury problem she had leading into

this Olympic Games. She has been unable to overcome a bruised heel.

It's been bothering her for quite a while. But the other two British

athletes still there. I know Claire Hallissey in particular has been

doing very well. She is one of those for whom London 2012 has been

a real inspiration, a target to aim at. She got herself into the team.

There is a big, big group. Looking down the back of it, I can see

Claire Hallissey just going through. I'm looking for Freya Murray. I

know she's in that group because the statistics say that she was in

about... There she is, about 23rd group comes Freya Murray, which is

really good news for Freya. I have to laugh when I spoke to her the

other day. She said her biggest concern on Monday was to put her

out of office replied be gone to her computer, so that if anybody e-

mailed her they would know she wasn't in the office this week,

she's at the Olympics. What are you doing at the Olympics? Taking part

in the marathon. Oh, lovely! good news is Hold the front page,

there's something in the sky which looks like it might be the son.

Over the years we joked about weather conditions. Steve has

always been an extremely reliable weather forecasters. Today he got

it absolutely wrong. He has admitted it, that's why we haven't

had a big argument, because he admitted he drivers here to The

Mall in the open air to get rained upon. Our floor manager at The We

are soaking up the atmosphere. And soaking up the water, too! Where

Two or three years ago, the Chinese looked as though they were really

going to develop, really dominate in women's marathon running but

it's fallen away a little bit. has. What has been amazing in the

marathon has been the arrival of the East Africans. They moved

through the events and eventually the Kenyans and Ethiopians started

taking the marathon seriously. The reason for that is because they can

earn a good living by running a marathon. They no training at

altitude is a big advantage. They are very happy to take advantage of

it themselves. They've got good training group in Addis Ababa and

in the Rift Valley, where all the Kenyan athletes come from. Even to

such an extent now that European teams are setting up training camps

in Kenya to take their that -- best athletes there to train at altitude.

Kenya is not only becoming the centre of African distance running

and Kenyan distance running, it is becoming the centre of European

distance running. Mo Farah spent months of Fair Trading for the

Olympic Games. -- months out there training for the Olympic Games.

the right-hand side, you can see pack. Claire Hallissey close by as

of them can have a good performance here. They will not be amongst the

medals. Weightman, of Australia. She has tailed away off this lead

group now. Going back through the first five to 10K, they are

running... For many, on a day like this, they would be quite happy

with the pace. But it will change, Italian. She had a big operation a

couple of years ago, removed her spleen and gall bladder. She said

it has given her a second half of her career and since then she has

run her best ever marathon. Kim Smith pushing and shoving around,

the tall figure just behind the leaders. They are beginning to

jostle again. They are coming up to care, right across everybody.

not used to watching this, as to why on a day like this, I'm sure

they don't even drink, well, they do. This isn't for now, it's for

later. Just trying to keep yourself topped up. I've a pre-prepared

drinks, they all have their different concoctions which they

prefer to have. It may well be just water for some, but usually they

make sure they don't just take any old string from any body. The team

and support group making sure that they get exactly what they've

prepared beforehand. Kibet, the former Kenyan who has won all

Netherlands for many years, as indeed has a Kiplagat, not to be

she knew in the crowd there just the athletes enjoying their Olympic

experience. If it is not going to be about medals for them, it's

going to be about enjoying their opportunity to be part of what has

already been a fantastic London point. Steady pace. It will change,

somebody will pick it and start to make a bit of a Porsche. The

Kenyans are absolutely not interested, except when there is a

drink station near by. They will be happy to stay well away from the

Eye this morning of everything that whether we will have the same sort

Brendan? I've taken my raincoat off and put my sunglasses on. We are

getting all seasons in 14 the summer. So far at these Games,

I don't think anyone has complained about the Gharib shower or

thunderstorm, except you, so far! We are sitting pretty here. We have

got a umbrellas, plastic coats, all the Time Trial, and the men's road

race, in the cycling, I just wonder if Paula Radcliffe had been a

contender, coming into these Games, with respect to the other British

women, I just wonder what the crowds Mode have been like. There

are plenty of people out there, however, as they go through nine

miles. 50 minutes, or thereabouts. BRENDAN FOSTER: The coaches, as you

know, will be thinking about getting to the halfway point,

putting yourself in a position, and they have all done that. They have

all run steadily, all the athletes who we think are going to feature

in this marathon. It is a big group, nobody has tried to do anything or

set any particular pace. They come round in front of Big Ben, where

the crowds are enormous. They are heading back towards the Mall, to

complete the first eight-mile loop. There's Freya Murray. I think she

is not far behind that leading group. We will get a split shortly,

to see what the GATT is, but it is breaking up just a little, that

group, now. You just get a sense that a couple of the Japanese

athletes might be moving through. There is Freya Murray, getting good

support from the British public. Sher removing quite nicely. Her

best, to point 28. Really very inexperienced still at the marathon.

I think she's going to get better and quicker, as she gets to grips

with the event. BRENDAN FOSTER: This is only her

second marathon. The other one was the qualification race, where she

finished just outside, and was selected as a reserve. Because of

the demise of Paula Radcliffe, she got in. She was telling me the

other day that Paula Radcliffe rang her to tell her that she was not

going to be able to run, to give her a chance to get herself

prepared. Obviously, being a reserved is different in terms of

preparation. But I think Freya Murray was so thrilled to have the

opportunity to go in the Olympic Games, she did not turn it down. I

am thrilled for her as well. There you can see the splits, that was

the quickest five kilometres - sorry, it was not the quickest, it

was quicker than the previous one. So, the pace remains the same. But

if it stays at this kind of pace, then even those with a PB of 2.26

will start to struggle. It is still a large group, up to 40 athletes

within 10-12 seconds of the lead, some moving much more comfortably

than others. There she is, about 20 seconds down now. In about 53rd

place. I think the last thing they want just now is a sponge filled

with water. Would you like one of those? Simon, a great career she

has had over the years. One or two names in here for whom I guess the

chance just to be here is the most important thing, their best

performances in the marathon being Olympic marathon, reaching one of

its most familiar spots, right in front of Buckingham Palace. This

time, when they turn into the Mall, they will have two big laps left,

16 miles of running left. Of course, the area's members of the Royal

Family have been enjoying getting around the venues. It has been

great to see the support they have shown. That would not be a bad

place to be sitting in Buckingham Palace, good views, nice and dry as

well. The first of the eight-mile laps almost completed. Mikitenko,

who led the runners along the Mall on a couple of occasions in the

London marathon, now finds herself in the leading group in the Olympic

marathon. The spectators are able to see on the big screen the

information that we are getting from the course, from the timing

systems, giving you the intermediate times. They are

encouraging them and us here in the Mall. It is a great place to be. --

the runners. Smith of New Zealand in the leading group. We have seen

some celebrations in the Mall in recent weeks, with the Jubilee,

then the bicycle road races, and now, the Women's Marathon. When you

look at it, with Buckingham Palace behind, and you think about 1948,

when the women were allowed to run 200m. 800m, they were not allowed

to run that, because that was too far for them. Now, they are running

the marathon, and the world record for women is two hours 15 minutes,

held by for a backer. -- held by Paula Radcliffe. At the time, those

kind of times had not even been run by a man. We have got seven or

eight women in this race today who have gone under two minutes 20.

STEVE CRAM: The two British athletes enjoying great support out

there. Keitany has been picked out by the camera, she looked very

comfortable, and so she should be. BRENDAN FOSTER: Keitany has run

four marathons, two of them in New York, which she did not win, and

two in London, which she won. She is a favourite to this race, and

she is running a conservative race, which will be to her liking. She

will be incredibly quick in the second part of this race, which

will be the challenge for these athletes - can they stay with Mary

Keitany? She did 67 minutes for the second half of the London marathon,

which is a fantastic time for a half-marathon anyway! And there's

Lornah Kiplagat, born in Kenya, married to a Dutchman, lives in

Holland now, but did the training camp in Kenya, where a lot of the

British athletes spent a lot of time training. Wreckage has been a

very good athlete in her time. -- Lornah Kiplagat. These pictures are

being shown all over the world. But the pictures look great. The

commentators look terrible, actually!

STEVE CRAM: Speak for yourself! 17 kilometres completed. There is

still a group of about 40 athletes, within three seconds of each other.

And after that, they are spreading out over 15 seconds or so. As they

come back down Northumberland Mall. There is a big screen, where

they can see the race progressing. There are big scoreboards, with

intermediate times being shown. In fact, they're coming through on the

big screen quicker than they are on our computer, Steve. It would help

if you knew how to use the computer! 52.20, for Freya Murray.

I am going to start using the big screen now, Steve.

STEVE CRAM: I am looking for Clare Hallissey, actually. When they came

past us... She is 66th on the big screen, Steve. You got there before

I did. Still at the front, the Italian Straneo. She is very happy

to be pushing things along. Clare Hallissey, more than a minute

behind the leaders. Again, coming through the feed station. Dibaba

moves across, and it seems as though it is the turn of Jeptoo to

collect the drinks for the Kenyans this time. Jeptoo comes across,

joined by Kiplagat and Keitany. Every single time, it is stressful.

Could it be getting stressed for them. -- I am getting stressed for

them. The Americans, happy in that group. A little bit more spread out

now. Mikitenko looks comfortable, just taking a drink. Just watch

this again, every time, Kiplagat, coming in... Got it? Just about.

You're making me nervous now. Because of now, these are crucial.

It is so important, the way these athletes have trained and prepared,

that they actually do get their own drinks. There's plenty of athletes

who, for whatever reason, like Mara Yamauchi, carrying an injury, are

dropping out. But they decided to take the risk, but it is not the

sort of event where you can just kind of hope to get through it. A

little bit of jetting between Kiplagat and Jeptoo. Looking very

relaxed, as they should be. As we get a few rays of sunshine. I would

not exactly say the weather is turning. But it has been pretty

good for these athletes. Just avoiding that one big puddle, I

think that is the only area where there is a lot of water on the road.

Straneo has been up front for much of it, but for the first time, she

looks as though she is just picking drinking Technic there. Here we go,

Straneo put in a bit of pressure on at the front for the first time. So,

they stretch out, a couple of them thinking, do we go with this? We

saw the Kenyans having a bit of a conversation just a bit earlier.

Zhu has decided to follow the Italian. Mikitenko nicely tucked in

on the inside. And here come the Kenyans on the outside. Kiplagat

and Jeptoo, with Keitany as well, just happy to let others mess

around with the pace a little bit. They are not going to be concerned

about the Italian, I don't think. You can see Xueqin Wang at the back

of the group. Zhu is the most it is starting to get a move on at

the front of this Olympic marathon. I notice the three Kenyans, led by

Mary Keitany, as soon as there was a sense that some of the better

athletes were gathering towards the front, they decided they would take

a bit closer order. On the right- hand side there, Jeptoo and Keitany

go under the underpass. The Blackfriars area. Then they will

take their left turn again. Start the twisty section around St Paul's

starting to take its toll, all this plastic I'm wearing! Is that what

the greenhouse effect means? everything, I'll do the science,

little inclined -- incline. A long Queen Victoria Street. Then they

will turn round the back of St interesting. This is the part of

the race, approaching halfway, Brendan was saying earlier, get to

halfway and the race really starts to develop. I just wonder whether

every -- anybody wants to make an early effort to get away or at

least to break up this fairly steady rhythm. Mary Keitany knows

London so well. She has won the we'd seen the best of her, but she

looks fairly comfortable today. She looks nice and fresh, well prepared.

I'm a bit surprised to see her there, too, Steve. Her best days

certainly are behind her. She's not going to run faster than she's run

before. But she's got herself ready and competitive. It's a fairly

competitive pace, they are not even outside 70 minutes. Lots of these

athletes have run faster than 2.20 for the marathon, so they should be

comfortable at the halfway point. They are halfway round the second

Embankment. There is St Paul's Cathedral again. The bells are

including that 100m tonight. Usain Bolt. If last night was anything to

go by, tonight will be amazing when the great Usain Bolt steps into

that Stadium and lines up for the start of the 100m. The starter,

Alan Bell from the north-east of England, he was the man who

disqualified Usain Bolt in Daegu, and he is as nervous as we are. He

hopes he doesn't have to disqualify him tonight. I saw him earlier in

the week, before the Games started. I don't think he is going to be

doing the men's 100m. But he has been part of the team, making sure

everything has gone smoothly in the course, but not by much. Straneo is

the leader, but there's still a big pack their. All the main contenders

in that pack including the Ethiopian and the Kenyans and the

City of London. Will be rejoining the marathon shortage. On BBC Three

at the moment, the route has closed on Centre Court. Later on BBC One,

we'll be live for the men's gold medal match, Andy Murray against

Roger Federer. Coverage about to start on BBC Three of the women's

gold medal match, the Williams sisters in action against the Czech

Republic pair. These are the shop from Weymouth. The wind blowing

strongly. At 1240 the sailing starts, the Star and in races. Ben

Ainslie going for a gold medal, Andrew Simpson and Iain Percy also

going for gold. Various options on your red button. This is Nick

Skelton on Big Star, jumping his second round for the team, first

round for the team, second round for the individual competition. He

went clear yesterday and again he jumped clear today. Good news of

Ben Maher on Tripple X, he also had also in the team. Cycling at the

velodrome. Victoria Pendleton has qualified fastest for the women's

sprint. Coverage of that tomorrow night. The omnium continues tonight,

Ed Clancy in that. The velodrome has been one of the really big hits

in terms of venues of these Olympic Games. Tickets for that are very

hard to get hold of, whereas with the marathon Eakin line the streets

without paying for a ticket at all. And if you are brave enough to take

the chance on the weather, or even if you live somewhere on the route,

now is the time to get out there because the sun is coming out and

we are getting towards the crucial stages. We rejoin our commentary

by in order to get out to watch them now. It wouldn't be any good

if you lived in Newcastle, you wouldn't get here in time!

doesn't matter where you are, hopefully people on the course

getting good information about what's happening. The race is

starting to warm up a little bit. The group is being whittled down.

Freya Murray proved 20 K, as they are about to go through the halfway

point, she was in 53rd place. 50 kilometres, not short - not far off

the halfway point back up. Straneo in first place at the moment, Zhu

in second. But a lot of the athletes we figure will feature

here, we can see Keitany, the is going to be quicker. That is a

good size group. Now the halfway... Half of the marathon is behind them

and now its concentration time, its tactics time and it's who's going

to be brave enough and strong enough and who is prepared to

strike out early enough. There's a variety of options here. I'm

looking at the Kenyans running as a team. There's a couple of Ethiopian

is in there. They all run under 2.19. They is Shobukhova, the

fastest marathon runner in the field. She is detached from that

group. That's a surprise. She was one of the favourites coming into

this race. We expected her to run well and be in contention all the

way. She is off the pack. I don't quite know how far behind it is but

she wouldn't be in that position through choice. She'd rather be in

this group. There's the group going the moment. That is a surprise.

That's not where she wants to be. There's no reason for her to be

back there other than she is going through a tough time. She's the

second fastest marathon runner after Paula Radcliffe's world

record. She's won the last three Chicago marathons, she's won here

in London before. She was an athlete who you would certainly

figure, certainly expect to be at least on the rostrum. That is the

first surprise of this women's marathon. Shobukhova of Russia

hasn't run a marathon this year and off to the big city marathons and

produce the fast times. It's another when you have to prepare in

a completely different way for the Olympic marathon and all that that

down. Another pass by the water station. It's easier to negotiate

this now with less people in this group, less people to cut across.

Zhu grabbing her drink. You just feel as though it's down to

business now. A bit more concentration on the faces of most

of these athletes. Kiplagat coming right across again. Keitany, the

same. Everybody anxious to make sure they are taking the right fuel

point you can really pay for it later on. There is Shobukhova.

She's moving all right. Not able to produce the sort of performance

that she would expect, for whatever marathon running. To see an athlete

has been so prominent in the world marathon Major's. The lead athletes

going through Leadenhall Market now. was one of the Ethiopians. I'm not

sure who tripped her up, but from the back it was a bit of a club. I

was tempting fate saying that some point, it was Gelana who has gone

down. There is a shiver Cover. She seemed to be moving all right and

all of a sudden now she's had to stop completely. They have to be

something wrong, didn't they? The Russian, one of the pre-race

favourites... Do you know what I find strange there? She still have

to stop her watch before she stopped running. That is just a

habit. You know the Olympic marathon is the one they all

trained for, the one they all work excessively hard for. Some of them,

as we've seen today, have found this a race too far. They come into

the race and they've decided to run because it is the Olympics. In

normal circumstances, Yamauchi wouldn't have run this race. It

looks like Shobukhova wouldn't have run this raced if it wasn't the

Olympics. You've got to give it a shot but unfortunately her body was

unable to hold it together. She will be very disappointed. And our

own Yamauchi. There is Shobukhova, she is in tears and holding her

away as you can from the finish. They get picked up along the route.

Anyone who does drop out will be picked up and brought back. Now we

start to see the Kenyans moving to the front of the field. The

Ethiopian who took a tumble, there she is, back up and running

smoothly. You can just tell the them is off the group there. You

can see the effect it is starting to have, getting stretched out

behind. The two Japanese athletes not able to stay with this. As they

head up towards the Tower of London once more. The next time they come

back here, they will be starting to turn towards what will be the

finishing stretch really of this Olympic Marathon. Still 1.5 laps to

go, really. That group is getting smaller all the time.

BRENDAN FOSTER: It is now just over 20 athletes in that group, and one

by one, they are falling away from it. The Tower of London, a great

nothing short of stunning already. I'm sure there will be more to come

in the stadium tonight and elsewhere. Today, there will not be

any British success in this Women's Marathon. That's not to say it is

not an enthralling race. You can see Kara Goucher, and Tim Smith, in

that group. I was just wondering whether Shalane Flanagan was still

there. I cannot see her in that group, the other American. No, I

don't think she is there. I have just seen Augusto, from Portugal,

entering that group now. She is a former winner of the Great North

Run. Kara Goucher on the outside, looking into the group. The three

trying to work out where the gap is, because all of a sudden, this group

of about 15-20, are putting a bit of distance between themselves and

those chasing. The pace really is on now. Coming back past Monument.

London Bridge on their left. I think there are one or two athletes

between the leading group and the chasing group, but nonetheless, the

gap is getting bigger all the time. 22 seconds, that gap, at the moment.

I don't think there's anyone in that chasing group who will have

any effect whatsoever on the race. So, this is where it is all

happening. You can see people dropping off the back. These are

the athletes who are starting to be the players at the business end of

this race. There's a shot of the Monument to the Great Fire of

London. The athletes coming past there. The winner and the medalists

are definitely going to come from that group. There is no reason to

be anywhere other than in that group. The pace has not been

excessive. You can see that Augusto has now joined that group, along

with Barros, also from Portugal. And there, the beginnings of a move

from Kiplagat, looking over her shoulder. The world champion from

Daegu last year. The Kenyans had so many to choose from, but they

decided to go for major Championship form in selecting

their team. They did not just go for major marathons around the

world. And now, the race is on for real. In response to that, Gelana

of Ethiopia moved up quickly, and Edna Kiplagat has now decided it is

time to make a move. STEVE CRAM: Approaching 25

kilometres, I would be very surprised if this did not turn out

to be the quickest five kilometres Kiplagat has obviously decided she

would like to get the group cut down a bit more. You can see the

group breaking up. Others deciding, we cannot go with this. Clara

through are making a real effort to try to stay with it. But now, these

six have it between them, three from Kenya, three from Ethiopia, a

familiar story. Flanagan and Clara coucher are watching that gap grow.

I suppose for them, they have got to think, let's keep going steady,

you never know, but there are 6 very good athletes now in this

leading group. Five of them have gone under two hours 20, which is a

sign of real class. So, the race, as we have seen on the track and on

the roads many, many times, the might of East Africa - three

Ethiopians, who had all gone under 2 20, and the three Kenyans as well.

Keitany, the London marathon winner from this year is amongst them. And

Kiplagat, the world champion. Now, Keitany drifts to the front. This

is going to be a war of attrition now. Just over halfway round the

third of these eight-mile loops. Kiplagat looks comfortable on one

side of the road. Keitany has chosen to take the other side of

the road. The two of them beginning to make the race happen. One

athlete setting off in pursuit of this group of six, trying to break

away from the chasing group. Well, that previous five kilometres was

the quickest, as we suggested. Actually, most of that was in the

last two or three kilometres. It is only going to build from here.

Mikitenko trying to hang on to this chasing group. They will be hoping

that something happens at the front, but given the way the race has gone,

I cannot really see anyone from that group coming back. It would

only be if they start looking at each other, which may be they are

doing at the moment. Flanagan trying to get back on to that group

of six, as they had along the Embankment again. It is only still

a steady pace. Amazingly, within a couple of hundred metres, five of

the six athletes find themselves at the front of the race. Gelana is a

very good athlete. They have got some titles between them. Mergia

won in Dubai, running two hours 19. Shalane Flanagan, the bronze-

medallist from 2008 in the 10,000m. Kiplagat, the world champion,

leading. Those three have all won big races. Shalane Flanagan has

only run a couple of marathons, but she is a tough cookie. She trains

extremely hard, she is prepared to hurt herself. Zhu of China moves

alongside her, and then Augusto, the Portuguese. There are going to

be some changes in the chasing pack, but you have got to bet at this

point that the gold-medallist, and probably the podium athletes, will

come from this leading group. Here we are at the feed stations. It is

a little bit easier now, with a smaller group. The Kenyan coach

determined to make sure it happens. Make sure you do it properly this

time. You do not have to cut across people. Mary Keitany gets a drink,

the others get theirs. Job done. One more time - let's see if they

can do it for the last time. Interestingly, Zhu has just about

got onto the back of that group. I think they are slowing at the front.

Flanagan doing her best to get up with them. Mikitenko, still in with

a chance. They are hoping that this group might break up, but six has

become seven, and could shortly become eight or nine here. You can

always tell when they are running side-by-side, nobody wanting to

push on. Kiplagat had a go at doing it. Keitany is in the lead at the

moment, but they are not pushing on. They have just dropped the pace

again. She was lucky there. should have thrown that further

away. But remember in the World Championships last year, Kiplagat?

She fell at the feeding station. quite a late point in the race as

well. There, the Italian athlete. And Kara Goucher also setting off

to catch up with the leading group. So, two Americans up and amongst it.

We said a few minutes ago that maybe the six had it between them,

but they have slowed, they have allowed Zhu, Flanagan, Augusto but,

and Kara Goucher to catch up. Smith has not been able to catch up,

however, which is a bit of a pity. Barros from Portugal, in that

little group which is maybe 15 seconds behind the leading athletes.

Well, it was a disappointing start, really, to the day, for the British

team, with Mara Yamauchi, with the injury she had before she started,

having to drop out inside 10 kilometres. Let's get her thoughts.

Obviously, disappointment that you have to drop out, but you gave it a

go with your injury... Yes, I had a bruise on my heel, I was managing

it, it was not the best situation, for the Olympic Marathon, but I was

confident I could give it a go. I started off, but on the second

corner, it started hurting. I did my best. It is not a good place to

be, to drop out of the Olympic Marathon in your home Games, but I

gave it my best. I did not want my Olympic journey to end like this, I

am sorry for everybody who has supported me and encouraged me and

come out in the pouring rain to support me today, but I am still so

grateful for their help. So many people have really helped me,

especially the Visio and medical staff at UK Athletics, and all my

friends and family. I am so happy to have been part of this historic

home Games in London. I know how determined you were to get on to

the starting line. I saw you at the training camp in Portugal, and you

said you were physical fit, apart from this injury. Yes, I have been

doing lots of cross-training, so why was confident that in

cardiovascular terms, I was fit. And I had been able to run on my

foot. I thought about withdrawing beforehand, but I decided, no, it

is not that bad, I can run, I can do the race. I had high hopes, but

sadly, it was not to be. Life goes on, I will recover, and get back. I

just need to rest it now and get it better. Now, when you come back for

treatment, what is The Feeling amongst the people who have been

helping you? They are incredibly professional and helpful, they have

worked so hard all along to help me. Today, they have been incredibly

helpful. I am sorry for them that their hard work did not pay off,

but very grateful to them. Thanks already knew there, her heel

couldn't stand up to the test today. The crowds are really building up

in Westminster Square. One or two little changes happening. This was

Gelana asking, where is my drink? One of her compatriots, Mergia, the

winner of the Dubai marathon, is struggling. Augusta just went past

her. Flannigan trying to hang on to this group, as indeed is Zhu. But

the Kenyans are now dictating this. If it was a team race you'd be

putting your bet on the Kenyan team. But it's an individual race and a

race for medals. On the left-hand side, Jeptoo, with the strange are

flicking of her right leg style. off the group, so now there's three

Kenyans, two Ethiopian and the chasing group. Zhu of China,

Flannigan working hard in the chasing position. Jessica Augusto

of Portugal chasing hard. These five beginning to run a breast,

beginning to run strongly. Then they come down The Mall. One 8

macro mile lap to go. That will decide the future in a Lebid terms

for these athletes. Keitany, the smaller figure. The athlete who

we've seen already run brilliant. This is her favourite place, this

is where she wins marathons. Can she win it again in London today?

The two Ethiopia's, Dibaba and Gelana, are there for company. Her

two team-mates, world champion Edna Kiplagat and on the other side,

Priscah Jeptoo, the runner up in the championships. There's no

shortage of talent in this leading group. If you can catch that group,

if Zhu can catch them or if Shalane Flanagan can catch them, this is

flicks up to the side. That's why occasionally she gets in trouble.

That action with the full swinging up to the right, sometimes you come

into a collision with another athlete. There is Mergia struggling

now. Mergia won the Dubai marathon and there were one or two

suggestions that the fast times in Dubai this year, the course was a

little bit different and a couple of questions about the fast times,

but the Ethiopian stuck with it in terms of selection. 30 made, Dibaba,

who was third behind her, she is running much better. I think it is

just Mergia having a bad day to day. Bronze-medallist three years ago at

the World Championships. She's not try and keep them at least within

which, for so many thousands of people, is such a welcome sight

every year in the London Marathon. I wouldn't say these guys are

getting sick of it now but next time round it will be the last time

for them. It is a good course, marathons, it is Nick Patel and his

team. They've done it brilliantly once again. Everything is arranged

for the comfort of the athletes and the spectators. They are now

delivering the Olympic marathon in London. That is a real tribute to

this organisation. Jeptoo may be finding this a little bit hard work

diminutive figure of Dibaba bear. And Gelana, as they come right in

front of us here in The Mall. Approaching 30 kilometres. One more

lap to go, eight Miles are still to whether 80 files can shake this

group of. His Jeptoo going to be able to stay with them? She looks

OK now. She was a metre or so adrift, but she's running alongside

the leaders. Look at Shalane Flanagan. She's really working hard,

she has overtaken Zhu and is working in the sixth position.

There is Jessica Augusto coming back as well. 17 seconds down on

the lead. Down the road I think I saw Kara Goucher, about 10 seconds

going to come between them. Eight miles to go, the many miles of

training, the many miles of competition, the many titles these

people have won, and one of them, only one of them, is going to come

out on top. Which one will it be? Keitany looks controlled and looks

Running next to her his Arkhipova or. A very good steeplechase runner

with medals at Europeans and the World Championships. She has made a

fairly successful move up into the marathon in recent years. Having a

other pre-race favourites, Shobukhova, she dropped out. Just

beyond halfway. Mara Yamauchi had to pull out with injury,

representing Great Britain in the first nine kilometres. Just

watching for Freya Murray to come in front of us. She was about a

minute and a half ahead of Claire Hallissey last time. She was in

the splits coming. This race with lots still to happen. None of this

five in particular have tried to kilometres. 16.21. That was by far

the quickest. That is fast running. These women have been able to break

that group up. Flannigan is having to watch as the Russian moves away.

It was a real, brave effort from the American champion. Zhu also

looks as though her Evatt is starting to Peter away. -- her

effort. The Russian, about eight or nine seconds behind this group.

Right in front of us, Freya Murray just moving through on The Mall.

She has got to stick to her task now. She's got to work at it. She

went off quickly by her standards. She's only run one marathon before.

The Russian, Arkhipova, chasing that group. Now the gaps are

beginning to show him the leading group in the women's marathon. Mary

Keitany getting a drink from the side. Jeptoo and Kiplagat likewise.

The two Ethiopian, Gelana and Dibaba. Gelana you would have

thought would be a danger here. The world champion Kiplagat and the

world championship runner up jet to run together. -- Jeptoo. Once again,

Dibaba for was the drink straight to the floor. That can cause an

accident because those robust plastic bottles, the athletes can

and do trip over those bottles. Shalane Flanagan working so hard to

get back to this group. Zhu of China getting rolled on along the

by Arkhipova. It looks like there's a little bit of a break-up in the

leading group, a little bit of a move. We look at Shalane Flanagan

heading towards that leading group. Arkhipova looks as though she's

running so strongly. Things are going to change him the lead party.

This group of five is going to we enter the last seven miles or so.

Clare Hallissey has passed through the finish area. Heading out on her

last lap as well. Not looking as comfortable as Freya, who is still

moving reasonably well. But at the front, these five now, have they

got it between them, can the Russian take advantage of them?

It's a gap of about six or seven seconds. Maybe one or two more.

She's looking very comfortable and if you are a 2.25 or 2.26 runner

you feel comfortable for a while, but when you pick up a couple of

five Kay, that's when it starts to break up. That's why the Russian

has done a pretty good job of that because she's not have fast times

runs when you are running flat out all the way mean one thing. As we

look at Dibaba, the Ethiopian athletes, now just fallen off the

pace. It is easier to run a fast and even pace. It is obviously

easier to run a fast time when you've got a pacemaker. But now

we've got a race, the first part of it was steady. The second half is

obviously quicker. As we look at Arkhipova, who is roaring through

the field, going faster and faster. It looks as though, to me, she's

going to catch that leading group. They are certainly not racing each

other in the front yet, but this is a very impressive performance by

the Russian. Former steeplechase runner. 9.9 her best. If she was

running 9.9 at these Olympic Games, she'd have a good chance in the

steeplechase. They are going to have a bit of a shock when they

look over their shoulder. These four probably not expecting

somebody from the pack to come and join them, but that's what's going

to happen. She looks very comfortable. Quicker than that lead

pack because she is catching them, but I'm wondering whether or not

when she gets there, whether she's going to settle their or maintain

this sort of pace. She might just feel if she keeps going, she might

be able to break this group of. I have a feeling that once she is on

to them she would just sit and watch a bit. It looks as though the

pressure is on in this group as well. The gaps are now starting to

appear. The Russian is perhaps starting to take advantage of that.

Keitany is at the front and is putting her foot down a little.

There were five, then there were four, now there's five again.

will be a shock when they look over their shoulder and see it is not

the other Ethiopian athlete, Dibaba, champion. Jeptoo looks behind to

see where her team-mate is. Three or four metres and it is the

Russian who can now maybe sense there could be something for her

here. I'm a little bit surprised. It was a risk from the Kenyan

selectors. Big-match temperament was something they went for, but

quickly. Mary Keitany has done nothing wrong yet. Settled with the

leaders. Aware of everything going on. Back in the pack in the early

stages with her team-mate, Kiplagat, the world champion who we are

looking at. But Keitany, who we've seen run extremely quickly in the

second half of the London Marathon, running quicker in the second half

of this race today than they did in the first half and that will bring

them home closer to two minute -- 2:20. 73.13 through the first half.

That pressure is now being applied by Keitany for the first time. The

Russian, having got herself involved, finds that the impetus

she has provided from behind has forced the issue. For around St

Paul's for the last time for the lead group. Up into Paternoster

Square. I think the crowds have responded to Clare Balding's

way. Going for medals in the Olympic marathon in London. Keitany,

the tiny figure of Mary Keitany. The Russian close that gap. Once

again we are looking at Shalane Flanagan. Working hard. She will

keep working hard all the way, but as soon as the Russian joined this

group, Mary Keitany decided she didn't want any company, she didn't

want too much company, she was happier running with the group she

has been running with. A little injection of pace. Maybe for pace

the Russian was going up to catch them, she looks a bit slower. She

has settled down a bit. Maybe she was just making that effort, but

the group is now back to five. Kiplagat, the world champion, who

looked to be in trouble a few hundred metres to go, accelerates

and joins the group. Now the Ethiopia and, Gelanar, the

Rotterdam winner, takes over. Dibaba must now be in 6th place.

That is a big gap as well. She is going to come under pressure from

those chasing her. Three Kenyans, one Ethiopian and one Russian as

they move around the Museum of London. Almost 360 degrees turn

around the roundabout to go back on themselves. They will head towards

the Guild Hall. Eventually up towards the Tower of London. You

can see a gap of 31 seconds. Gelanar keeps looking across. She

has nobody to chat to. Maybe the chatter has stopped between the

Kenyans. He felt as though Keitany had had and it will nibble at the

front. Kiplagat fell off the back, it looked like the Russian was

going to struggle, but Keitany has settled back again and then the

group got together and now it is maybe Jeptoo's turn. Jeptoo, with

that action, with hardly any money left. It is not always a bad thing

for marathon runners. Some of the track runners who moved to the

marathon, particularly people like Haile Gebrselassie, spend time

training to know it at the knee left. I remember going for a run

with car Stella, the great Australian, and I wondered what he

was doing, he was shuffling. He ran about eight minutes for the first

mile on the training run. I don't think his feet came off the ground.

He got faster after that, mind you! the four had from Russian. She is

having a great race. -- forehead. I would not have put her in with a

medal chance beforehand. Should be covert was the one everybody was

looking to. A former steeplechaser who is trying to mix it with this

looking quite as relaxed as she had been. Is she under pressure? The

Ethiopian looking very relaxed. Winner of the Rotterdam Marathon.

This is a little further back. We were on about the chasing group. A

good gap back to Makarovar, the other Russian, who was running

strongly a couple of miles back. She is going to have a good strong

finish, but she will not finish near these guys. You can see

Shalane Flanagan behind Dibaba in looks tired now. As indeed does

Augusto. Big gaps between -- behind that leading group. Almost two

hours of running behind them. Jessica Augusto worked hard to get

through to that leading group. She still looks strong, she looks like

about pushing on a little bit. Keitany on the far side, Jeptoo on

Championships 10,000m. Xiaolin Zhu was carrying the flag for China.

She was with the group earlier on. A valiant effort from her. She is

struggling now as well. Maybe others have paced things a little

better. That is Dibaba and Flanagan. people on the streets. This is one

of the free events at these Olympics. Just trying to see but a

duck Kiplagat is struggling. As soon as there's a bit of pace at

the front, she can't go with it. The pace is not consistent at the

front. Nobody is really making a move yet. Two hours of marathon

running behind them. 20 odd minutes left. And the Russian, who has come

from a long way back, now takes the lead. Quickly followed by the

Ethiopian and then a gap to Mary Keitany and Jeptoo. A tight turn.

The two are locked in battle. Is this a move? Will Mary Keitany be

able to do respond? They go through the leaden Hall market. The

drumming band keeping the crowds entertained. Four of them now. Look

at that gap. I think every time they get to a feeding station, the

Kenyans don't move through it as smoothly. A still think Keitany is

not as comfortable as she was a little while back. Flanagan moves

past Dibaba. Moving into 6th place now. She will start to have her

eyes on a tiring end. Kiplagat is 20 seconds ahead of Flanagan at the

moment. Still around four miles of running left in this Olympic

marathon and it is the Russian leading. Two Kenyans with her and

the Ethiopian. Augusto being passed by Meyer rover. Another 20 seconds

behind Flanagan. Kenya desperately want to win this gold medal. They

want to win this marathon title. recent years to produce the better

athletes to come and win the Olympic titles in the distance

events. I remember you were saying in the stadium the other night, Kip

Koenig talking about an ambitious target of medals. The men's 10,000m

last night did not materialise. It did not materialise in the women's

10,000m, either. But will it in the marathon? The Kenyans have never

won the marathon. The women's behind. Shalane Flanagan 32 seconds

behind the leaders. We are all waiting for something to happen.

Will it be a move from the Russian or will the Ethiopian record holder

make a move? Is Mary Keitany strong enough? We look at Shalane Flanagan,

who has run a lonely but brave race. Her training partner, Goucher, says

she doesn't know what pain is, Flanagan. She hurts herself but she

never shows it. You know she is hurting now, but the relaxed look

on her face, the inner pain she is going through. This is a tough road.

She aimed for a marathon medal. She got a medal in the 10,000m last

time around. Not to be in the into the last six: it has of this

Olympic marathon. -- they are into. Slowed a little after that very

quick five-kilometre stretch between 25 and 30. Faye ran 16.21

for that section. -- they ran. But the damage has been building. The

pace was slightly slowed when the Russian could come back onto the

leading group. Kiplagat has really suffered. Flanagan might hope that

she can get the Kenyan in her sights in these last few miles. She

can see her on the other side of the road and the gap is not as big

as it was before. That gives her a chance to see what she has to do.

She now has her in her sights. She is running strongly again, working

hard, and looking relaxed. She is checking on the opposition behind

road. That is Dibaba. The other Russian as well. The crowd are

seeing a really good race here today. Two hours and four minutes

and still the marathon is in question. It is always in question

in the last four miles. Even though sometimes it looks as if athletes

have winning leagues, this is where the body struggles and suffers.

When you run out of glycogen, when you have defeated your reserves,

some fates -- sometimes athletes can suddenly slowed down

drastically and occasionally others really well. And is in that leading

group. This is where all of the action is. Mary Keitany at the

crunch -- at the front, pushing things along. We have seen Edna

Kiplagat, the world champion, for a way, under pressure. Mayorova, the

other Russian. Do you think the crowds on the streets will be

waiting for the silly hats? I think they are wearing the silly hats!

They are providing great support, there are flags from all over the

world, which is great to see. Even here, on the Mile, the stands are

packed, there still applauding athletes who still have one lap to

go. Giving them greater support. It won't be long before they see the

winner of this marathon, which will come from this group, after 23

wonder, the Russian is starting to dictate things a little bit. Gelana

has looked relaxed for a long time now, just glancing across at the

Russian. Jeptoo. That right foot flicking out. It is hard to tell

from their facial expressions. I think if Mary Keitany was feeling

good, she would be pushing from here, wanting to break up this

group. When we have seen her at her best, she has been able to force

Edna Kiplagat, out of it now. She is struggling, working hard.

Flanagan it is working hard to get back into contention, she has run

an awful long wait on her own, with great support from the crowd, as

they have recognised the American strip. She has her target in sight.

accurate, 51 seconds behind the leaders. Flanagan, running well.

But maybe not close enough to this group. Mary Keitany, this tiny

Kenyan. Petrova on that side. The Ethiopian record holder, Gelana.

World Championship silver medal, Jeptoo, has been there all the time,

hasn't done anything serious. Petrova. We have had a Russian

winner before. That was back in 1992. She had looked as if she had

lost it at one point. In Barcelona, they had a massive hill to contend

with. Searing heat, hilly course. Then, Atlanta was really tough, as

in Sydney. Here, with the weather conditions, they haven't been kind

to us in the commentary box, but they have been kind to the runners.

And in the second half of the race, to the fans who have come out in

numbers to watch this. Flanagan, closing down on the world champion.

Moving into 5th place. Edna Kiplagat, she won that race in

Daegu. She looked comfortable for most of the race today. This group

of four, the Ethiopian record holder, the Kenyan, winner of the

London Marathon. Silver medal, Jeptoo. And the Russian, Petrova.

We have never seen in a Kenyan win the women's marathon. Is today

going to change that? They have two Flanagan down. She herself is very

close to Edna Kiplagat. The Russian, for the first time, looks as though

she is fading a little bit. She has only 11 of her marathons. They are

rallying again. That burst comes to an end rather quickly. Blackfriars

Bridge, along the Embankment. Jeptoo, the world silver-medallist.

Gelana, from Ethiopia, has looked relaxed all the way through.

Flanagan now moving into fifth- place. Xiaolin Zhu is finishing

really strongly as well. I do not think they will affect the race at

the front, they are too far behind at this late stage. Coming along

this embarrassment, a part of this race, particularly Mary Keitany

will remember, winning the London and Rathen -- marathon. You can see

the action of Jeptoo. That is where, sometimes, she caused us problems,

towards the finish. Gelana of Ethiopia, who won the Rotterdam

Marathon. The last time they will take

sustenance on board, the Russian deciding not to bother. Jeptoo not

only Grad heroine, but another. The passed by Jessica Augusto. Xiaolin

Zhu has moved into 5th place. Jessica Augusto is running well,

just checking her time. She has run a conservative race but came

through nicely. She looks really strong.

This is real sportsmanship from Jeptoo. Mary Keitany, being the

team captain, a wonder if she gets looks for her drink. Xiaolin Zhu of

often tell. On the track sometimes you can look for expressions and

how people are feeling, but all four of these... Keitany is maybe

showing some strain on her face. are coming down to it. None of them

will know who has got a really, really fast sprint finish because

they have never been in this situation before. They have never

seen each other sprint at the end of a marathon. Augusto is running

great now. Really, really well. From absolutely no where, the

Ukrainian, who has run a personal best this year of 2:24. That was in