FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Susan Reid
Elite Racing, Inc.
(858)450-6510
An Ethiopian Sweep
at P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon & ½ Marathon
Gebrselassie Sets World Half-Marathon Record; Over 33,000 Participant
TEMPE, Ariz. - (Jan. 15, 2006) - Two-time Olympic Haile Gebrselassie of
Ethiopia shattered the world record in the half-marathon with a time of 58
minutes, 55 seconds at the third annual P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona
Marathon & ½ Marathon on Sunday. He lowered the mark by 21 seconds
(previous world record 59:16, Samuel Wanjiru of Kenya). Gebrselassie also
broke the 20K mark, running 55:48, giving him two world records and a
career total of 20.
Gebrselassie, 32, posted the world's fastest time in ideal running
conditions thru the Valley of the Sun - Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe,
Arizona. His world record attempt was unique in that he ran the latter half
of the full marathon course, providing him with an IAAF-certified and
record standard course.
It was an Ethiopian sweep on the day, as Shimelis Mola, 23, was the men's
marathon winner in 2:13:08. He edged defending champion Terefae Yae by
using a furious sprint down the final homestretch, as Yae crossed at
2:13:13.
The women's race featured a familiar face as the diminutive Ethiopian,
Shitaye Gemechu, captured her third straight title, winning in 2:31:44. It
was a close race there as well, with Gemechu edging countrywoman Askale
Tafa (2:31:46) to remain the only woman to win the P.F. Chang's women's
crown.
Twenty-year-old Joe Munoz won the men's half-marathon in 1:09:46 and
Heather Hanscom won the women's half in 1:16:38. Famous faces in the half
included Shonda Schilling, wife of Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling,
who ran for the SHADE Foundation and finished in 2:07:54. Tyler Hoechlin,
castmember of The WB's Seventh Heaven and future Arizona State University
baseball player, finished in 2:23:10.
More than 1,000 high school cheerleaders lined the marathon and
half-marathon courses for The Spirit on the Course competition. Top honors
were awarded to Hamilton High School as the most energetic and enthusiastic
squad. The Phoenix Children's Hospital Kids Rock race featured more than
2,200 kids in the one-mile fun run staged for youth ages 6-12.
In all, the Grand Canyon State welcomed over 33,000 runners and walkers for
the third annual event.
3rd P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon & ½ Marathon
Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe, AZ, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2006
MEN
1) Shimelis Mola, Ethiopia, 2:13:08, $20,000
2) Terefae Yae, Ethiopia, 2:13:13, $10,000
3) Asnake Fekadu, Ethiopia, 2:15:13, $6500
4) Belay Welasha, Ethiopia, 2:17:53, $4000
5) Yuriy Hychun, Ukraine, 2:20:57, $3000
Masters MEN (40+)
1) Titus Mutinda, 40, Albuquerque, NM, 2:29:50, $1000
WOMEN
1) Shitaye Gemechu, Ethiopia, 2:31:44, $20,000
2) Askale Tafa, Ethiopia, 2:31:46, $10,000
3) Hiromi Ominami, Japan, 2:36:08, $6500
4) Salomie Getnet, Ethiopia, 2:36:55, $4000
5) Abeba Tola, Ethiopia, 2:38:19, $3000
Masters WOMEN (40+)
1) Susan Loken, 42, Phoenix, AZ, 2:41:31, $1000
Half
MEN
1) Joe Munoz, Texas, 1:09:46
WOMEN
1) Heather Hanscom, California, 1:16:38
2) Heather Hunt, Colorado, 1:17:03
Top Arizona Male Finishers
1) Joel McCreary, Phoenix, AZ, 2:37:47, $1000
2) David Allison, AZ, 2:38:46, $500
Top Arizona Female Finishers
1) Susan Loken, 42, Phoenix, AZ, 2:41:31, $1000
2) Anne Marie Pedersen, 30, Flagstaff, AZ, 3:09:25, $500
Top Maricopa County Male Finisher
1) Joel McCreary, Phoenix, AZ, 2:37:47l, $1000
Top Maricopa County Female Finisher
1) Susan Loken, 42, Phoenix, AZ, 2:41:31, $1000
Full results at: www.RnRAZ.com
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