Korir keeps men's crown; Stadium to the Sea course draws event record 26,054 entrants at 25th silver edition
By Ryan Lamppa, Running USA wire
LOS ANGELES - (March 21, 2010) - Edna Kiplagat in just her second marathon showed how to finish 26.2 miles as the Kenyan not only won the women's race in 2 hours, 25 minutes and 38 seconds (nearly a 25 minute personal record), but the 30-year-old also earned the $100,000 Challenge bonus as the first finisher overall at the Honda LA Marathon on Sunday morning. Overall, she took home $145,000 plus a 2010 Honda Insight EX sedan for her impressive effort.
At the 25th silver edition, defending men's champion (and recently married) Wesley Korir made a run at countrywoman Kiplagat, but her last blistering final 4 mile sequence of 5:20, 5:14, 5:09 and 5:10 proved insurmountable. Korir, 27, won the men's race, clocking 2:09:19, and like Kiplagat, his time was the event's third fastest performance all-time.
Based on the men's and women's professional fields, the top women were given an 18 minute, 47 second head start. In order for a man to win the Challenge, he had to gain 43 seconds per mile, and through 16 miles over the new downhill "Stadium to the Sea" course, the large pack of men were on track to do just that and to take a 4-3 lead in the Challenge, but the women's small pack led by Silvia Skvortsova of Russia pushed hard through 22 miles before Kiplagat took control of the race and her destiny with her fast closing miles.
Under a slight overcast and 50-60 degree temperatures, an event record 26,054 entrants started at iconic Dodger Stadium (after a 20 plus minute delay due to traffic), went through Hollywood and Beverly Hills and its sights and finished near the beach in Santa Monica.
25th Honda LA Marathon presented by K·Swiss
Los Angeles, CA, Sunday, March 21, 2010
MEN
1) Wesley Korir (KEN), 2:09:19, $20,000 plus Honda Insight EX sedan (MSRP $23,100)
2) Richard Limo (KEN), 2:09:48, $12,500
3) Paul Samoei (KEN), 2:09:54, $10,000
4) Laban Kipkemboi (KEN), 2:10:40, $5000
5) Albert Matbor (KEN), 2:10:52, $2500
WOMEN
1) Edna Kiplagat (KEN), 2:25:38, $145,000* plus Honda Insight EX sedan (MSRP $23,100)
2) Teyba Naser (ETH), 2:26:20, $22,500
3) Silvia Skvortsova (RUS), 2:27:20, $10,000
4) Tiki Gelana (ETH), 2:28:28, $5000
5) Ashu Kasim (ETH), 2:35:44, $2500
6) Linda Somers Smith, 48, USA / CA, 2:36:33
*includes $100,000 Challenge bonus and $25,000 time bonus
Full results and more at: LAMarathon.com.
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