Posted: November 25, 2007

Athletics: 2006 Las Vegas Marathon Champions Are Paid

From David Monti © 2007 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com Nearly one year after winning their respective divisions at the 2006 New Las Vegas Marathon, Kenyans Jemima Jelagat and Joseph Kahugu received their prize money checks yesterday. "Jemima's [check] was dated 11/21 and came via FedEx," wrote Jelagat's agent Shawn Hellebuyck on Nov. 24, in an e-mail message to Race Results Weekly. Jelegat was due $15,000 for winning the women's division. Derek Froude of Posso International Promotions, the management firm which represents Kahugu, confirmed on the same day that a check had been received at his office for his client. Kahugu was due a total of $65,000, including a special $50,000 bonus for winning a battle-of-the-sexes bonus in which the women were given a headstart over the men. "Yes indeed!" wrote Posso in an e-mail message when asked if the payment had arrived. Race Results Weekly had reported on Nov. 20, that neither athlete had been paid. Larry Barthlow, a consultant for Devine Sports, the organizer of the event, told RRW via e-mail that the payments would be sent by the end of last week, which was in fact the case. "I think your story helped," wrote Hellebuyck. "So thanks from Jemima and me." Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest