USA: New Champions Crowned
at Suzuki Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
New Champions Crowned at Suzuki Rock
'n' Roll Marathon
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training Reaches
$100 Million Milestone
SAN DIEGO - (June 6, 2004) - The Suzuki Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
crowned distinctly different champions Sunday at the seventh
running of the nation's premier musical marathon as over 18,000
runners and walkers joined in the festivities on an ideal
day for distance running. Finishing in 2:11:04 at the historic
Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Kenya's Joseph Ngolepus struggled
home over the final two miles to claim his first marathon
win since Berlin 2001. On the women's side, winner Tatiana
Titova, 38, of Russia, breezed home in a new career best 2:29:36.
Both laid claim to the champion's prize of $70,000 in cash
and Suzuki products.
"I felt more like walking than running in the last 200
meters," said the spent Ngolepus only half in jest as
he outlasted equally fatigued countryman Jomo Kororia by 20
seconds over the closing miles. The winning time was the second
slowest in race history after the 2:12:45 run by Ethiopia's
Belay Wolasha in the sun and heat of 2000. Yet today's weather
seemed ideal for running with the traditional June marine
layer hanging over the city obscuring the sun, and temperatures
in the low 60s at the 6:45 a.m. race start in Balboa Park.
The men's race came down to a pack of four at 20 miles when
the last rabbit, Peter Chebet, stepped off the course. Ngolepus
took over the reigns with debuting Kenyan half-marathon star
Paul Kirui on his left shoulder. In tandem behind them ran
2003 Country Music Marathon champion Jomo Kororia and Ethiopia's
Tekeste Kebede who was running only his second marathon. By
24 miles only Ngolepus and Kororia remained and the end-game
began in earnest.
"I went after 24," explained Ngolepus, "because
I knew that he (Kororia) was strong over the last two miles.
I'm not good in a last kick."
Ngolepus had run his fastest time last year in London, 2:07:56,
but was out-kicked by two others by one second. He wasn't
going to make the same mistake in San Diego. Though he slowed
to a 5:44 final mile, he held just enough in reserve to hold
off Kororia.
The women reduced their pack at 22 miles to just Kenya's
Margaret Atodonyang and Titova after a pack of five, including
two-time and defending champion Irina Bogacheva of Kyrgyzstan,
began faltering after the group passed halfway in 1:14:29.
As with the men, the women's break came at 24 miles. Titova,
who had cut back on her racing schedule from up to seven marathons
a year to just one so far in 2004, second at the Los Angeles
Marathon in March, didn't tire at all over the final miles.
"Happy people are not tired," said the 38-year-old
Titova after her two-minute margin of victory.
Over 20,000 runners from all 50 states entered San Diego's
signature racing event and more than 18,000 plus started.
Among them were over 4,000 Team In Training runners, who raised
$12.5 million for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. With
today's effort the $100 million (net) fundraising milestone
was reached among the four musical marathons, with over $84
million being raised in San Diego alone.
7th Suzuki Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
San Diego, CA, Sunday, June 6, 2004
MEN
1. Joseph Ngolepus, Kenya, 2:11:04, $10,000 + Suzuki Product
totaling $60,000
2. Jomo Kororia, Kenya, 2:11:24, $5,000 + Suzuki Verona Midsize
Sedan
3. Tekeste Kebede, ETH, 2:11:48, $3,000 + Suzuki Intruder
Volusia 800 Motorcycle
4. Ondoro Osoro, Kenya, 2:12:22, $2,500 + Suzuki Vinson ATV
5. George Okworo, Kenya, 2:13:26, $2,000 + Suzuki DF40 4-stroke
Outboard Motor
6. Noah Bor, Kenya, 2:13:28, $2,000
7. Stephen Ndungu, Kenya, 2:17:09, $1,300
8. Belay Wolasha, Ethiopia, 2:18:47, $1,200
9. David Busienei, Kenya, 2:20:21, $1,100
10. Henry Tarus, Kenya, 2:21:49, $1,000
