FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUFA'S BIG MOVE AFTER MILE MARK-23 PROPELLS ETHIOPIAN TO QC WIN
Kenya's Mogaka captures women's title
MOLINE, IL – Genna Tufa (Ethiopia) made a big move just after mile mark 23
at today's Quad Cities Marathon, presented by THE National Bank, and never
looked back en route to his third marathon win of the year. Tufa's 2:18:30
ranks as the second-fastest ever on the QC race course. The time was also
a personal best for the 23-year-old who won at Tampa (2:21:44) and Virginia
Beach (2:20:35) earlier this year.
The starting conditions were sunny with temperatures in the upper 50's (F),
the temperature rose to over 70 (F) by mid morning. Light wind was
experienced on the course.
The early lead pack included Tufa, defending champ and course record holder
Jynocel Basweti (Kenya), 2005 champion Paul Rugut (Kenya), Solomon Too
(Kenya), and Maciek Miereczko (Poland). By the 10-mile mark Basweti had
opened a lead that he would hold for the next 13 miles. Tufa and Rugut
stayed within striking distance of Basweti and both used the late push to
move into the top positions. Rugut ended up second in 2:19:10, while
Basweti clocked 2:21:56 for third place. Too held on to place fourth in
2:23:17. Miereczko dropped from the race and did not finish. Brian
Grudowski (Buffalo Grove, IL) rounded out the money winners with a
fifth-place showing in 2:34:04.
In the women's race, Kenya's Irene Mogaka broke into the lead at the
10-mile mark and never looked back en route to victory in her first race on
U.S. soil. She broke the tape in 2:45:46, the seventh-best time ever run
by a woman at the QCM. Russia's Larisa Mikhaylova, the early leader,
placed second in 2:50:01. Round out the top-five were: Bethany Lewis (Iowa
City, IA) in 2:58:13, Michelle Didion (Laporte, IN) in 3:08:26, and Lori
Jarrett (Dixon, IL) in 3:13:55.
In the men's master's race, Russ Boore (Hampton, IL) captured his second
title in three years. He won in 2:44:33. Boore also cracked the overall
top-10, with a ninth-place finish, for the fourth time at the QCM – tying
an event record. Michael Brisbois (Chicago, IL) placed second in 2:56:31,
just ahead of third-place finisher Mike Driscoll (Peoria, IL) in 2:56:58.
The women's master's winner was Jarrett in 3:13:55. Kathy Waldron (Green
Bay, WI) was second in 3:15:53, while Yukiko Nishide (Rye, NY) took third
in 3:18:59.
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