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HONOLULU (08-Dec) -- Three years after his death, Benson Masya was posthumously inducted into the Honolulu Marathon Hall of Fame at a special ceremony held at the Oahu Country Club last night. Masya's widow, Joan, and 12 year-old son, Willis, accepted his commemorative placque from Honolulu Marathon Association President, Dr. Jim Barahal.
Masya was one of the best road racers of the early 1990's, and was known for "a punishing and aggressive style," said long-time commentator, Toni Reavis, who offered a moving remembrance of the athlete who died in September, 2003, at just 33 years-old. The exact cause of his death was never verified, but it was likely that he died of AIDS, said his manager, Zane Branson.
Masya, who began his athletic career as a boxer, won the Honolulu Marathon three times in 1991, '92 and '94. His 1991 victory came over Welshman Steve Jones when the Kenyan was only 21 years-old and making his debut at the distance. He won the inaugural IAAF World Half-Marathon title the following year, and went on to become a four-time winner of Britain's Great North Run, one of the world's most competitive half-marathons. The half-marathon became his signature distance, and he had a career best time of 1:00:02, just one of four performances where he cracked the 61-minute barrier. His other half-marathon victories included the Stockholm Half-Marathon in 1992, the City-Pier-City Half-Marathon in The Hague in 1993, and the Trosloop Half-Marathon in Haarlem in 1995.
Succombing to some of the oldest human frailties, Masya often drank to excess, a practice he used to help overcome his social shyness and the loneliness he felt when he was far from home. Honolulu was one of the few places where Masya did not feel that pressure and loneliness, according to Reavis, and often spoke of returning to Hawaii. In a sense, he now has.
"Benson, we welcome your spirit home and into the Honolulu Marathon Hall of Fame," said Reavis, his voice cracking slightly with emotion.
Masya did not manage his race earnings well, and was not able to leave his family on solid financial footing when he died. To ease some of his family's hardship, the Honolulu Marathon Association presented a gift of $5000 to Joan and Willis.
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