Posted: March 8, 2007

Athletics: Bobrowski, Portilla Win Little Rock Marathon

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - (March 4, 2007) - Przemek Bobrowski, a native of Poland and a student at Harding University in Searcy, Ark. and Peruvian Maria Portilla of Albuquerque, N.M., won the fifth annual Little Rock Marathon on Sunday. Bobrowski, 26, separated himself from the field during the 8th mile and never looked back posting a time of 2 hours, 27 minutes and 9 seconds. Bobrowski beat fellow Polish runner Krzysztof Baldyga by nearly two minutes (2:28:50). Portilla, 34, went unchallenged after the 4th mile and finished the race well ahead of the women's field in 2:47:12. The Peruvian Olympian is currently training for this summer's 2007 Pan American Games and described the race as part of her ongoing training regime. 2005 race champion Christy Nielsen of Omaha, Neb. was women's runner-up in 2:59:03. The masters - 40 and older - marathon winners were Dan Hay, 45, of Battlefield, Mo. in 2:42:19 and Becky Lowrance, 49, of Branson, Mo. in 3:18:36. The event, attended by runners from all 50 states and 11 countries, featured a slightly revised finishers medal and $2000 for each marathon champion overall. The Little Rock Marathon holds bragging rights for not only the world's largest finisher's medal, weighing in at one pound, but this year, it is the only marathon in the world to offer a male and female version of the finisher's medal. About 8,000 runners took the streets in 36 degree weather that eventually reached the mid-50s. More than 4,000 participants ran either a full marathon, half-marathon or four-person relay marathon, with the remainder participating in the 5K. The half-marathon champions were Jason Warick, 33, of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, at 1:07:42 and Lesley Hocking, 26, of Columbia, Mo. at 1:22:57. Race officials announced Friday evening that Larry Choate, Chairman and CEO of Arvest Bank-Central Arkansas will follow Greg Hatcher as Little Rock Marathon race chairman. "Greg has provided the City of Little Rock with a tremendous gift for the last five years," said Choate. "The Little Rock Marathon is an amazing way to showcase all that is fantastic about Arkansas. I am honored to be the Little Rock Marathon's next chairman and look forward to welcoming marathoners from around the state, the country and the world to Little Rock." 5th Little Rock Marathon - Little Rock, AR, Sunday, March 4, 2007 MEN 1) Przemek Bobrowski, (POL / AR), 2:27:09, $2000 2) Krzysztof Baldyga (POL / NM), 2:28:50, $1500 3) Justin Gillette (MI), 2:31:14, $1000 4) Benjamin Kibui Rongu (KEN / NC), 2:33:23, $750 5) Diego Vanegas (NY), 2:33:59, $500 Masters MEN (40+) 1) Dan Hay, 45, MO, 2:42:19, $500 2) Albert Manzanares Elias, 40, Spain, 2:45:56, $250 WOMEN 1) Maria Portilla (PER / NM), 2:47:12, $2000 2) Christy Nielsen (NE), 2:59:03, $1500 3) Melissa Lehman (MI), 3:01:17, $1000 4) Maureen Larsen (NE), 3:07:18, $750 5) Sarah Meyer (IN), 3:18:11, $500 Masters WOMEN (40+) 1) Becky Lowrance, 49, MO, 3:18:36, $500 2) Marla Rhoden, 51, KS, 3:20:20, $250 Half-Marathon MEN 1) Jason Warick (CAN), 1:07:42, $750 WOMEN 1) Lesley Hocking (MO), 1:22:57, $750 For complete results, go to: LittleRockMarathon.co. Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director (805) 696-6232; Fax = (805) 659-0016 Ryan@RunningUSA.org www.RunningUSA.org. Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest