FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Terer Sets Men's Record at QCM; Gunagul Repeats as Women's Winner
MOLINE, IL - Kiplangat Terer (Kenya) set a new course record en route to
his win Sunday at the Quad Cities Marathon, presented by THE National Bank.
Terer notched a 2:14:04, well below the old standard of 2:16:29. Hirut
Guangul (Ethiopia) was the women's winner, for the second straight year,
covering the course in 2:38:50. The race was run with light wind,
temperatures in the 50's, under a sunny sky.
In the men's race, six runners comprised the early lead pack. Terer and
Robert Wambua (Kenya) then led through the half-marathon point in 1:06:32.
By the 14th mile Terer began to pull away. He put the exclamation point on
the surge with an impressive 4:56 19th mile. His final 10k was run in
32:39. Terer averaged 5:07 pace per mile for the entire race.
Julius Choge (Kenya) finished second overall in 2:18:57. Choge was running
7th in the first half of the race, but steadily improved to collect the
runner-up prize. Tariku Bokan (Ethiopia) passed two runners in the final
10k to place third overall in 2:19:46. Wambua's fast start took a toll on
him down the stretch as he placced fourth in 2:20:37. Benjamin Metto
(Kenya) rounded out the top-five at 2:23:47.
In the women's race, Guangul and Tezata Dengersa (Ethiopia) ran together
for much of the first half of the race. Guangul hit the mid-way point in
1:19:45, just nine seconds in front of Dengersa. By mile 20, Guangul had
stretched the lead to 1:16, before finishing in 2:38:50. The time was the
4th best in the history of the women's open division. Guangul owns the
women's record of 2:35:07 (2012). Guangul also became only the second
two-time winner in women's history, the other was Alena Vinitskaya
(2002-2003). Dengersa collected the runner-up spot with a final time of
2:41:35.
Faith Stephan (Colorado Springs, CO) finished third overall, after running
fifth for the first half of the race. Stephan crossed the line in 2:50:26.
Muliye Gurmu (Ethiopia) ran 2:59:18 and Keneni Chala Orgesa (Ethiopia)
closed off the top five in 2:59:31.
In the master's men, John Piggott (Williamsburg, VA) became the fourth
two-time winner in that division. Piggott successfully defended his title
in 2:42:37. John Ekulan (Kenya) was second in 2:53:59 and Gerald Holtmeyer
(Bonnots Mill, MO) was third in 2:54:04.
In the master's women, Bonnie Ritchotte (Littleton, NH) ran a solid final
10k to break open her lead en route to a winning time of 3:10:07. Jennifer
Smith (Novi, MI) ran 3:16:07 for second place. Nadine Antonini (Palos
Heights, IL) rounded out the top-3 in 3:19:36.
The top local finisher honors, in the marathon, went to Jake Alexander
(Davenport, IA) in 2:59:06 and Jane Wheeler (Bettendorf, IA) in 3:20:06.
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