FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Scott Schricker
(804) 285-9495
A Big Day in Richmond!
Course Mark and Entry Records Tumble
Belarussian takes home VW Beetle as bonus;
Over 10,000 register for marathon & sub-events
RICHMOND, VA - Andrei Gordeev eased into the lead at Mile 8, breaking away
from his training partner and seizing control to win today's 28th SunTrust
Richmond Marathon in a race record time of 2 hours, 14 minutes and 32
seconds. Along with pocketing $2,500 for his first place finish in
"America's Friendliest Marathon," Gordeev's course record earned him a
one-year lease on a brand-new Volkswagen Beetle as part of the race's New
Beetle Chase.
Enjoying perfect weather that saw start time temperatures about 40 degrees
and virtually no wind, the 32-year-old Gordeev waved to the crowd as he
crossed the finish and easily bested the previous course record time of
2:15:36 set by three-time race champion Elly Rono in 2003. The win came
just 20 days after Gordeev captured the Detroit Free Press Marathon in a
time of 2:14:59 on October 23rd. Russian Sergey Fedetov finished second
today in 2:16:49, followed by Fred Getange, James Mutuse and Aaron Saft.
On the women's side, Russian Marina Bychkova broke the tape first in a time
of 2:42:40. Countrywoman Elvira Kolvpakova was second, followed by
Virginia Beach's Renee High, Aimee Phillippe-Taylor, and Charlottesville's
Milligan Grinstead.
The NTELOS 8k men's race provided a thrilling finish for the second year in
a row. Vyacheslav Shabunin surged ahead of Kenyan's Samuel Ndereba and
Joseph Koskei at the tape to capture the win in a time of 23 minutes and 3
seconds. Paul Ngeny was just 34 seconds back in fourth place and Andrew
Letherby finished fifth. On the women's side, Ukranian Tetyana Hladyr won
in a time of 26:00, with Linet Chepkurui, Jackline Okemwa, Grace Misati and
Cheryl Anderson rounding out the top five.
A total of 4,763 runners registered for this year's SunTrust Richmond
Marathon, smashing last year's record of 4,221. The NTELOS 8k had 4,698
total entries, almost 700 more that the record set in 2003. With another
record field in the Richmond Times-Dispatch Kids Run (929), a total of
10,390 runners registered for the event, reflecting total growth of a
whopping 18% over last year's record field.
The top overall, masters and age group finishers in each race are attached.
For more information, please contact Scott Schricker at (804) 218-9689
(mobile).
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