Adriana Fernandez (MEX) breaks the tape at the New Las Vegas Marathon (© Victah Sailer)
Las Vagas, USAAt the New Las Vegas Marathon on Sunday morning, Adriana Fernandez of Mexico captured the women's title in 2:31:54 in a thrilling four-women sprint finish. The men’s title was taken by Stephen Kiogora of Kenya who pulled away from countryman Titus Munji to win his first marathon in 2:11:58.
There was an extra incentive for both the men’s and women’s fields, thanks to a special Challenge, which offered the first person to cross the finish line a $50,000 bonus. To balance out the odds between the best men and the women, the elite women's field was given a ‘head-start’ of 14 minutes and 40 seconds on the elite men and the people's race.
With 10-15 mph gusty, north winds, the lead packs of the women and men went out conservatively. The women hit the half-marathon in 1:16:29 and the men 1:08:26, and by the half, the men had whittled down the Challenge lead of the elite women to 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
Between miles 17 and 18 (1:45:31 into the women's elite race), the men caught the women and the Challenge was essentially over. With a series of late sub-5 minute miles, Kiogora and Munji made it a two-man race. At mile 24, Kiogora, 4th at Boston in 2004, pulled away from Munji and went unchallenged to the finish line.
"With the wind, I knew that it would be a tactical race, and I raced according to our training," said Kiogora, 31, who earned $100,000 ($50,000 for the win and $50,000 for the Challenge).
In the women's race, at 22 miles, Fernandez, Galina Bogomolova of Russia, Dorota Gruca of Poland and Nuta Olaru of Romania broke up the pack and stayed together until the end. In the final 150 meters, all four women sprinted hard with Fernandez edging Bogomolova (in her debut) at the line with Gruca and Olaru right behind.
"The wind was definitely a factor in our race. I concentrated on the other women not the Challenge. I didn't know if I would win until I broke the tape," said Fernandez, 34, the 1999 New York City Marathon winner.
Ryan Lamppa (Running USA wire) for the IAAF
Inaugural New Las Vegas Marathon
Las Vegas, NV, Sunday, December 4, 2005
MEN
1) Stephen Kiogora, Kenya, 2:11:58,
2) Titus Munji, Kenya, 2:13:21,
3) Tekeste Kebede, Ethiopia, 2:14:38,
4) Girma Tola, Ethiopia, 2:14:50,
5) Araya Haregot, Ethiopia, 2:15:30,
6) Yusuf Songoka, Kenya, 2:17:01,
7) James Koskei, Kenya, 2:18:15,
8) Gilbert Koech, Kenya, 2:20:08,
9) Mohammed Awol, Ethiopia, 2:21:37,
10) Assefa Mezgebu, Ethiopia, 2:25:24,
WOMEN
1) Adriana Fernandez, Mexico, 2:31:54,
2) Galina Bogomolova, Russia, 2:31:54,
3) Dorota Gruca, Poland, 2:31:55,
4) Nuta Olaru, Romania, 2:31:57,
5) Irina Safarova, Russia, 2:33:15,
6) Merima Hashim, Ethiopia, 2:33:52,
7) Albina Ivanova, Russia, 2:34:37,
8) Halina Karnatsevich, Belarus, 2:36:36,
9) Josephine Deemay, Tanzania, 2:41:40,
10) Edna Kiplagat, Kenya, 2:50:20
