Lidia Simon
ROMANIA
BIRTHDATE:
September 4, 1973
PERSONAL BEST:
2:22:54 (Osaka, 2000)
CAREER NOTES:
In 1991, at only 18 years of age, Lidia Simon completed her marathon debut in 2:52:20. Four years later, Simon startled the Athens field with a 2:31:46 performance at the IAAF World Marathon Cup to win silver. At 22, Simon had transformed from teen hopeful to a professional athlete competing on the world stage. She continued to flourish in international competition with a strong, sixth-place finish at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games (2:31:04), and won silver in 1996 and bronze at the IAAF World Championships Half Marathon in 1997 and 1998.
Simon earned her first marathon victory at the 1998 Osaka International Ladies Marathon with a personal record nearly 24 minutes faster than her 1991 debut. In 1999 the returning champion reclaimed her title in 2:23:24 with another personal record. Later that year, she won bronze at the IAAF World Championships in 2:27:41, repeating her podium position from 1997.
In 2000, Simon ran three competitive marathons over nine months. In January, she dominated Osaka to earn her third consecutive title and current personal record (2:22:54). She then finished second behind Ethiopia’s Derartu Tulu in London and brought home the silver at the Sydney Olympic Games.
Simon won the Gold Medal at the 2001 IAAF World Championships. That same year, she returned to London to take fourth in 2:24:15. After a disappointing finish at The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in 2003, Simon redeemed herself with strong performances at Wien (Vienna) in 2004 and Osaka in 2005.
Though typically a marathoner, Simon ran the U.S. road circuit this year to regain her speed. She had top five finishes at several races including Cherry Blossom, Bay to Breakers, and Boilermaker. She also ran the Osaka Marathon in January and finished in 2:33:53.
HIGHLIGHTS:
01/29/06 Osaka International Ladies Marathon 9th 2:33:53
01/30/05 Osaka International Ladies Marathon 5th 2:27:01
05/16/04 Wien Marathon 2nd 2:30:40
10/12/03 The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon 19th 2:40:54
04/22/01 Flora London Marathon 4th 2:24:15
08/12/01 IAAF World Championships Marathon 1st 2:26:01
09/24/00 Olympic Marathon, Sydney 2nd 2:23:22
04/20/00 Flora London Marathon 2nd 2:24:46
01/30/00 Osaka International Ladies Marathon 1st 2:22:54
08/28/99 IAAF World Championships Marathon 3rd 2:27:41
01/31/99 Osaka International Ladies Marathon 1st 2:23:24
04/26/98 Flora London Marathon 5th 2:28:41
01/25/98 Osaka International Ladies Marathon 1st 2:28:31
08/09/97 IAAF World Championships Marathon 3rd 2:31:55
04/13/97 Flora London Marathon 3rd 2:27:11
01/26/97 Osaka International Ladies Marathon 3rd 2:27:04
07/28/96 Olympic Marathon, Atlanta 6th 2:31:04
04/09/95 IAAF World Marathon Cup 2nd 2:31:46
