FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Andy McGowan
860.670.5936
MEAZA WINS 11TH UNITED TECHNOLOGIES GREATER HARTFORD MARATHON
Hartford (Saturday, October 9) --- Zintu Meaza of Ethiopia won the 11th
United Technologies Greater Hartford Marathon in a time of 2:18:50. The
time was 1:58 off the record time of 2:16:52 set by Joseph Nderitu. Meazu,
who has been in the United States for just one week, was running his first
marathon in the United States. He has previous run eight marathons in
Africa. Meazu finished 4:02 ahead of second place finisher Mindaugas
Pukstas (Lithuania). Michael Green (Atlanta, GA) finished third with a time
of 2:24:07).
"I started running with the half marathon people," said Meaza of his
strategy. "Then I broke off by myself. It was different running today as
this was my first marathon internationally."
Lete Berne of Ethiopia won the Women's Marathon in a time of 2:46:21. For
Berne it was her third attempt to win the event having finished second in
2002 and fourth in 2003. She was the 2003 New York Road Racer of the Year.
Mary Lynn Currier (Unionville, CT) finished second with a time of 2:54:59
and Becki Mcclintock finished third in 2:55:06.
Letting wins Half Marathon:
Geoffrey Letting of Kenya and living in West Chester, PA won the Half
Marathon today in a time of 1:06:07. Letting time was 2:31 off the record
of 1:03:36 set in 1999 by Benedict Akoi.
Larisa Michaolova of Russia, also living in West Chester, PA, won the
Women's Half Marathon. Michailova, running for the fir finished with a time
of 1:16:12. She was just 59 seconds off the course record set in 2002 by
Jackline Torori.
Erik Nedeau wins 4th consecutive Huck Finn 5K:
Erik Nedeau of Belchertown, MA, won the Huck Finn 5K race for the fourth
consecutive year. Nedeau's winning time of 15:16, was 13 seconds off his
record-setting performance last year. "I had a good start going the first
mile in 4:39," said Nedeau, track coach at Amherst College in Amherst, MA.
"I wanted to run faster today, but it just wasn’t enough."
Amy Nadeau (Belchertown, MA) won the Women's Huck Finn 5K in a time of
17:53. For Amy, it was her third consecutive win in the event. Last year,
Amy set the course record posting a time of 16:47. "This is the start of my
fall schedule, so I had no expectations today. This is a great race. I was
just a little behind last year’s pace."
This is the second consecutive year the husband and wife from Belchertown,
Massachusetts took top honors in the event. They were married just before
the 2003 event.
Following the Nadeau’s in the event were: Filipe Garcia (Brooklyn, NY) and
former 5K record holder William Brosmith (West Hartford, CT) in 16:12 and
16:21, respectively in the men’s event. On the women’s side, Zofia
Wieciorkowskia (Stratford, CT) and Melissa Rotatori (West Hartford, CT),
fisihsed second and third in times of 18:03 and 19:18, respectively.
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