Press Release - London Marathon - 1/29/19

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


            1988 London Marathon winner Henrik Jorgensen dies

Denmark's Henrik Jorgensen, the winner of the 1988 London Marathon, has 
died aged 57.

Jorgensen's win in 1988 was the highlight of a fine career that included 
appearances at two Olympic Games and victories at the Copenhagen Marathon 
in 1982 and 1983.

He came close to winning the London Marathon on two separate occasions 
before eventually triumphing in 1988.

Jorgensen was third in 1983 and then fifth in 1985, when he set a lifetime 
best of two hours nine minutes and 43 seconds. The time was a Danish record 
that stood for more than 32 years before finally being broken by Sondra 
Nordstad Moen in 2017.

It was third time lucky for Jorgensen at the 1988 London Marathon. He was 
part of a lead pack that included Brits Kevin Forster, Hugh Jones and 
Charlie Spedding when he decided to make his decisive move about 
three-and-a-half miles from the finish, close to the Tower of London.

Jorgensen, who was known for always running with an iconic headband, left 
his rivals in his wake before finishing in a winning time of 2:10:20.

He remains the only athlete from Denmark to win the London Marathon.

Jorgensen married another international Danish marathon runner, Mette Holm 
Hansen, and the pair had a daughter, Anna Holm, who has followed her 
parents' path into athletics. She is a current Danish international and 
represented Denmark in the marathon at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Running was always a major part of his life and Jorgensen continued to run 
after his retirement from elite level racing. He was jogging close to his 
home on the Danish island of Bornholm when he died of heart failure on 
Saturday 26 January.

Everyone at London Marathon Events Ltd sends their condolences to Henrik's 
family and friends.

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