Curley seals ‘dream’ race with a kiss

A LITTLE over 20 minutes after Constantina Tomescu won the Olympic Women’s Marathon, Pauline Curley jogged into Beijing’s National Stadium to begin her own victory lap.

Though 62 places separated Curley from the new champion, the event’s oldest competitor was intent on savouring every stride and every second of that final 400m.

Her smile was constant while her arms spun like wind turbines waving to friends and family, which included husband Adrian, mother Bridget and her seven-year-old son Emmett, as she circled The Bird’s Nest arena.