FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Limo Wins, Gromova Three-Peats at Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Marathon
Arciniaga PRs to become fastest American in
Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series history
San Diego, CA - June 7, 2010 - Kenyan Richard Limo took the lead at the
21-mile mark and never relinquished it, crossing the finish line in 2
hours, 9 minutes, 58 seconds to win the 13th Rock 'n' Roll San Diego
Marathon on Sunday morning. It was Limo's first career marathon victory, an
achievement that wasn't lost on the former 5000 meter world champion as he
came to a complete stop just before crossing the finish line.
"It was very important to me," Limo said of his victory. "This was my first
marathon win and I wanted to take a very good picture. This is wonderful."
William Chebor of Kenya was next across the finish line in 2:10:15, and
American Nick Arciniaga took nearly two minutes off his personal best to
finish third in 2:11:48, the fourth fastest U.S. marathon this year, and
the first American male to place in the top 10 at the race since Josh Cox's
ninth place finish in 1999, Arciniaga hung on to an aggressive early pace
and mixed it up with the lead pack through an opening 10K of 29:34.
"The plan was to just sit on the leaders no matter what they were doing,"
said Arciniaga, a 26-year-old from Flagstaff, Arizona who ran the fourth
fastest U.S. marathon time of 2010. "I was hoping for a huge breakthrough
performance. I ran strongly the last 10K and was able to catch a few more
guys. I was hoping for better, but I'm not going to be disheartened with a
two-minute PR."
Arciniaga was part of a pack of 12 that stayed together through 11 miles
before defending race champion Khalid El Boumlili of Morocco shook things
up with a blazing 4:26 mile 12, a move that eventually forced him to call
it quits later in the race.
The lead group of Limo, Chebor and Kenyan Leonard Mucheru hit the halfway
point at 1:03:38, with Arciniaga and 2004 New York City Marathon champion
Hendrick Ramaala running about 30 seconds behind. Chebor and Mucheru traded
jabs along Mission Bay before Limo, 29, made his winning move on Fiesta
Island with five miles to go.
In the women's race, Russian Yulia Gromova, 36, three-peated here in
2:27:42. She made her decisive move at the 17-mile mark to pull away from
Ethiopian Shuru Diriba, who finished second in 2:29:12. Diriba's
countrywomen took the next two spots, as Serkalem Abrah took third in
2:32:09 and Tiki Gelana finished fourth (2:32:21).
"I'm very happy with the result," said Gromova, who like her male
counterpart earned $25,000. "I didn't believe my victory was real until I
crossed the finish line."
Sergio Gonzalez of Oceanside, California won the inaugural Rock 'n' Roll
San Diego Half Marathon, crossing the finish line in 1:07:19, while
Albuquerque, New Mexico's Jacquelyne Gallegos won the women's half in
1:21:05.
For the first time in the event's 13-year history, the road race included a
half marathon and finished at the popular tourist destination, SeaWorld.
The 2010 event - which sold-out at 30,000 combined entrants - featured a
redesigned course, which highlighted some of San Diego's most iconic
sights, including a run through Balboa Park and nearly ten miles of ocean
views.
The 14th Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Marathon and ½ Marathon to Benefit The
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is scheduled for Sunday, June 5, 2011.
PHOTOS (Credit: www.photorun.net)
Richard Limo:
http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/files/2010/06/Limo_RichardFV-SanDiego10.
JPG
Yulia Gromova:
http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/files/2010/06/Gromova_YuliaFH-SanDiegoM1
0.Jpg
13th Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
San Diego, CA, Sunday, June 6, 2010
MEN
1) Richard Limo (KEN), 2:09:58, $25,000
2) William Chebor (KEN), 2:10:15, $17,500
3) Nick Arciniaga (USA / AZ), 2:11:48, $10,000
4) Leonard Mucheru (KEN), 2:12:43, $7500
5) Simon Wangai (KEN), 2:13:04, $5000
WOMEN
1) Yulia Gromova (RUS), 2:27:42, $25,000
2) Shuru Diriba (ETH), 2:29:12, $17,500
3) Serkalem Abrah (ETH), 2:32:09, $10,000
4) Tiki Gelana (ETH), 2:32:21, $7500
5) Jemima Jelegat (KEN), 2:32:34, $5000
Men's Half Marathon
1) Sergio Gonzalez, 24, Oceanside, CA, 1:07:18
2) Kevin Poole, 27, Folsom, CA, 1:07:42
3) Brad Poore, 31, Sacramento, CA, 1:08:11
Women's
1) Jacquelyne Gallegos, 27, Albuquerque, NM, 1:21:04
2) Theresa Lowry, 36, San Diego, CA, 1:21:56
3) Jessica Brothers, 28, Carlsbad, CA, 1:23:11
Wheelchair
Men
1) Scott Parson, 51, San Jose, CA 1:36:49, $1,000
2) Chad Johnson, 34, Charlestown, IN, 1:50:24, $750
3) Brad Ray, 41, Albuquerque, NM, 1:50:52, $500
Women's
1) Sandra Rush, 49, Oceanside, CA, 2:25:17, $1,000
###
|
