Davenport hopes to ‘save year’

AFTER a miserable season on the track, Marie Davenport is looking to rescue her year on New York’s roads this Sunday.

The Irish Olympian makes her debut over 26.2 miles 12 months later than scheduled when she goes to the line for the 2005 ING New York City Marathon.

The Clare woman was confident approaching the 2004 race, only to suffer an ankle injury he week before it.

The injury kept her out of action until the spring and Davenport, 30, spent most of the summer struggling to regain form.

The lowest ebb came in Helsinki in August when she failed to finish the World 10,000 metres final, but some encouraging races have followed and the Connecticut-based athlete is looking to make up for lost time this weekend.

“My summer was really terrible.

“I’m hoping to save my year in New York.

“It’s been hard since last year when I got injured before New York and I’ve had a string of injuries since. So I didn’t get back into training until March and just never felt right.”

Davenport has set deliberately modest objectives for the marathon.

“I’d definitely like to get under the 2:32 mark and I’d love to run around 2:30, but I wouldn’t want to say too much faster because it’s such a hard course and it’s my first time at the distance.

"If I go in there and I’m feeling good then hopefully I’ll be able to run good and get to the finish line in one piece. New York is definitely not a course to look for a fast time.”

Paula Radcliffe is not defending her New York title this weekend but the women’s race still has a strong field, with last year’s narrow runner-up Susan Chepkemei vying with race favourite and fellow Kenyan Lornah Kiplagat and Jen Rhines carrying hopes of a first American victory since Alberto Salazar won the third of his men’s titles in 1982.