Sydney Olympics gold medalist Naoko Takahashi has been recognized for two world record marks for times clocked in two stages of the 2001 Berlin Marathon, the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) said Thursday.
Takahashi -- who won the Berlin meet in September 2001 in what was then a world best of 2 hours, 19 minutes, 44 seconds -- is among several runners whose IAAF road world records were approved by the 44th IAAF Congress in Paris in August 2003 to take effect on New Year's Day.
Takahashi's times of 1:22:31 at the 25-km mark and 1:39:02 at the 30-km point set at the Berlin meet are now official world records. Britain's Paula Radcliffe was given distinction for her mark of 2:15:25 set in the 2003 London Marathon, while Paul Tergat of Kenya has been recognized for his record of 2:04:55 set at last year's Berlin marathon.