FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Deba Blazes 2:23:31 at Dodge Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Marathon
Keflezighi has homecoming triumph in half-marathon
Negari men's marathon champion; Slaby's women's half-marathon winner
SAN DIEGO - (June 5, 2011) - Running competitively on the roads for the
first time in his hometown, Meb Keflezighi didn't have time to acknowledge
all the well-wishers along his half-marathon route at Sunday's Dodge Rock
'n' Roll San Diego Marathon & ½ Marathon to Benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma
Society. Instead, he rewarded them with one of the most memorable races of
his illustrious career.
At the second edition, Keflezighi delighted a cheering, happy crowd at the
SeaWorld finish line by winning handily in 1 hour, 2 minutes and 40
seconds, nearly three minutes ahead of runner-up Drew Polley (1:05:38).
As much as the spectators reveled in Keflezighi's victory, they also
marveled at Bizunesh Deba's triumph in the women's marathon. At the 14th
running, the 23-year-old Ethiopian burst across the finish line in 2:23:31,
an event record and the fastest time ever run by a woman in California. The
previous state best was 2:24:52 by Joan Benoit (USA) at the inaugural
women's Olympic Marathon in Los Angeles on August 5, 1984. The Rock 'n'
Roll San Diego Marathon course is not record standard per USA Track & Field
rule because it drops more than 1 meter per kilometer.
The men's marathon winner was Terfa Negari also of Ethiopia in 2:11:18, and
the women's half-marathon champion was Gina Slaby of Tucson, Ariz., in
1:16:33. While the performances by Deba, Negari and Slaby were impressive,
it was Keflezighi who intrigued the crowd the most.
The UCLA grad led all the way, pulling away from Kenya's Martin Lel after
four miles on the undulating, curvy course through the streets of San
Diego. Lel, a three-time winner of the London Marathon and the runner-up of
that event this year, shadowed Keflezighi through the early stages of the
race. Then, when Keflezighi ripped off a 4:24 spurt from mile three to
four, Lel was done. He struggled for another two miles before dropping out.
After that, it was Keflezighi against the clock.
"He probably would have run a faster time if Martin (Lel) had been in good
shape and stayed in the race. His body might still not have recovered from
London," said Bob Larsen, Keflezighi's longtime coach. "The downhills
really favored Meb. Lel was struggling to stay with him. Meb really surged
on (Highway) 163, which was uphill. Then there was another downhill and Meb
surged again. Meb had it in his mind to test him. Those surges put Meb in a
dominant position."
Keflezighi pushed the pace from the outset, trying to test Lel's physical
condition. "I was pushing very hard," he said. "I was very aggressive."
It paid off in one of the most satisfying wins for Keflezighi, 36, the 2009
ING New York City Marathon champion and 2004 Olympic silver medalist, who
was also the first American male to reach the Games' marathon podium since
Frank Shorter took the silver in 1976 after winning in 1972.
Lots of the satisfaction came from the atmosphere surrounding the race. "It
was wonderful to win in my hometown," he said. "It was my first time
running here. Lots of people were calling my name. I saw my high school
classmates. I recognized a lot of people."
"It was my best time of the year," Keflezighi continued. "It was a great
day for me." "My English teacher from high school once said I would run
like the wind," he added, as the two fondly embraced just past the finish
line.
Deba also appeared to be running like the wind. Through 15 kilometers (9.3
miles) of the 26-mile, 385-yard marathon, she was on pace for a 2:15
marathon. At the half-marathon, her time was 1:09:53, compared to her
previous 13.1-mile best of 1:13. Although she slowed slightly over the
closing miles, she was still in command, beating countrywoman Misiker
Mekonnen (2:25:21) by nearly two minutes. She also bettered her previous
fastest time (2:26:34) at Los Angeles in March and ran even faster than her
husband's (Worku Beyi) best time of 2:25:07.
"I will try harder to get the (family) record back," Beyi said with an
embarrassed smile. "I will not sleep anymore."
For Deba, who now lives in The Bronx, N.Y., the race comprised her sixth
win in eight marathons and established her as a solid contender for next
year's Olympics in London.
In contrast, the men's champion Negari won for the first time in seven
marathons. After having finished second three times, Negari was so elated
that he kissed the ground just past the finish. He pulled away from the
field near mile 19.
"The pace was easy and the pacemaker was no good," he said, according to
Beyi, who served as his translator. "My body told me to go faster."
Another Ethioipian Tesfaye Sendeku finished second at 2:12:23, while
Kenyan's Gilbert Chepkwony and Christopher Torotich placed third (2:12:50)
and fourth (2:14:18) respectively. American Luke Humphrey, who runs with
the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project in Michigan, finished fifth overall as
the top American with a new personal best time of 2:14:39.
Daniel Tapia of Castroville, Calif. finished seventh with a personal best
time of 2:16:50, a qualifier for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials next
January in Houston. Also qualifying for the Trials was Humphries'
Hansons-Brooks teammate Sage Canaday, who finished eighth with a new
personal best of 2:16:52.
Slaby, a supply corps officer in the U.S. Navy, said she had hoped for a
faster time. Nevertheless, she was pleased. "I hadn't run the course before
and the hills slowed me down," she said. "But it was a good course. I liked
it."
Joanna Zeiger, 41, of Boulder, Colo. was runner-up in 1:19:03.
A flurry of notable runners - part of the event record 26,219 finishers -
also relished in the sunshine-filled finish line. Cindy McCain, wife of
Arizona Senator John McCain, participated in the half-marathon in support
of the event's benefiting charity, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Other
celebrity participants included Tamra Barney, Real Housewives of Orange
County; Kit Hoover, Access Hollywood LIVE; Jenny Masche, Raising
Sextuplets; Don Jeanes, Transformers, and Jerry Sanders, Mayor of San
Diego.
The 15th Dodge Rock 'n' Roll San Diego is set for Sunday, June 3, 2012.
14th Dodge Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Marathon
San Diego, CA, Sunday, June 5, 2011
MEN
1) Terfa Negari (ETH), 2:11:18, $25,000
2) Tesfaye Sendeku (ETH), 2:12:23, $17,500
3) Gilbert Chepkwony (KEN), 2:12:50, $10,000
4) Christopher Torotich (KEN), 2:14:18, $7500
5) Luke Humphrey (USA / MI), 2:14:39, $5000
WOMEN
1) Bizunesh Deba (ETH), 2:23:31*, $30,000#
2) Misiker Mekonnen (ETH), 2:25:21, $17,500
3) Helena Kirop (KEN), 2:27:01, $10,000
4) Olena Shurkhno (UKR), 2:28:34, $7500
5) Salina Kosgei (KEN), 2:32:06, $5000
*fastest woman's marathon in California (previous best, 2:24:52, Joan
Benoit (USA), 1984 Olympics, Los Angeles, August 5, 1984)
#includes $5000 Event Record bonus
2nd Dodge Rock 'n' Roll San Diego ½ Marathon
MEN
1) Meb Keflezighi (CA), 1:02:40
2) Drew Polley (MI), 1:05:38
3) Jeffrey Jackson (CA), 1:06:49
WOMEN
1) Gina Slaby (AZ), 1:16:33
2) Joanna Zeiger, 41, CO, 1:19:03
3) Lisa Raske (NY), 1:19:29
Full results, photos and more at www.Competitor.com
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