Hall Shatters U.S. Record at Aramco Houston Half Marathon
Dryer wins USA women's half-marathon title; Tune breaks course and state records in marathon
Race report from Steve Karpas

HOUSTON - (January 14, 2007) - Ryan Hall separated himself from his competitors with a blistering 4:36 first mile, then ran the rest of the Aramco Houston Half Marathon alone on Sunday en route to a pending U.S. half-marathon record.

The 24-year-old runner from Big Bear Lake, Calif., ran 59 minutes, 43 seconds and became the first American ever to break an hour in the half-marathon distance on a record standard course. Hall beat the previous U.S. record, set by Mark Curp in 1985, by a minute and 12 seconds. The Team Running USA athlete obliterated the previous course record, set last year, by 2:24.

"I train in altitude," Hall said when asked about this significant record. "I saw my splits around 4:30 and then thought, 'I can do this.'"

Hall, in his half-marathon debut at the USA Championship, ran the last 12.1 miles through the streets of Houston alone in what was arguably the best-ever road performance by an American distance runner (and the 8th fastest man all-time at the distance on an unaided certified course).

Fasil Bizuneh and Meb Keflezighi, the 2004 Olympic Marathon silver medalist, were left to battle for second place, finishing two seconds apart in second and third place, respectively, but more than two minutes behind Hall. Brian Sell, who won the U.S. half-marathon title here last year, finished sixth.

Hall, a Stanford grad, took home $21,000 for his efforts: $12,000 as national champion, $4000 in bonus money for the course record and an extra $5000 for the U.S. record.

Temperatures in the low 50s on Sunday morning made it a great day for setting records, and Hall was not alone in erasing past marks.

Dire Tune, 21, came to Houston to set a course record, according to her agent, and could proclaim "mission accomplished" 2:26:52 later. Tune shattered the old course and state records - set 23 years ago by former world marathon record-holder and 1987 10,000 meter world champion Ingrid Kristiansen - by 59 seconds.

Her previous best was 2:30:48 set in Los Angeles in 2005, where she finished fourth. The Ethiopian pocketed $25,000 for first place and an additional $10,000 for the Chevron Houston Marathon course record.

In the men's marathon, Feyisa Tusse of Ethiopia crossed the finish line in 2:11:39 - over two minutes ahead of his closest competitors. David Cheruiyot, 36, who won the race in 2005 and 2006, finished fifth. Tusse took home a $3000 bonus for running a time below 2:12 in addition to the $25,000 first place prize.

In the USA Women's Half-Marathon Championship, Elva Dryer and Kate O'Neill battled for the lead throughout the race. Dryer, a two-time Olympian, pulled ahead in the final stretch, clocking 1:11:42, a five-second victory over O'Neill, a 2004 Olympian.

"I had to maintain a good steady pace," said Dryer who won her fourth USA road crown. "A couple of us were together at the beginning. I knew she wasn't far behind the whole time." Dryer collected $12,000 for her title.

In the marathon, 14 athletes (ten men and four women) qualified for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials by running under 2:22:00 and 2:47:00 respectively.

At Houston's largest single-day sporting event, more than 18,000 runners took part in four marathon weekend events (marathon, half-marathon, 5K and children's run).

5th Aramco Houston Half Marathon: USA Championship
Houston, TX, Sunday, January 14, 2007

MEN
1) Ryan Hall, CA, 59:43*, $21,000
2) Fasil Bizuneh, VA, 1:02:20, $6500
3) Meb Keflezighi, CA, 1:02:22, $4000
4) Andrew Carlson, MN, 1:02:44, $2000
5) Jason Lehmkuhle, MN, 1:02:51, $1500
6) Brian Sell, MI, 1:03:10, $1250
7) Joe Driscoll, NC, 1:03:27, $1000
8) Dan Browne, OR, 1:03:55, $750
9) Travis Laird, MI, 1:03:57, $500
10) Justin Young, CO, 1:03:58, $250
*pending U.S. record (previous record, 1:00:55, Mark Curp, Philadelphia Distance Run, September 15, 1985)

WOMEN
1) Elva Dryer, CO, 1:11:42, $12,000
2) Kate O'Neill, MA, 1:11:47, $6500
3) Michelle Lilienthal, PA, 1:12:46, $4000
4) Alvina Begay, AZ, 1:12:57, $2000
5) Tara Storage, OH, 1:13:14, $1500
6) Jenny Crain, WI, 1:13:37, $1250
7) Zoila Gomez, CO, 1:13:49, $1000
8) Kristin Price, NC, 1:13:52, $750
9) Ann Alyanak, OH, 1:14:24, $500
10) Samia Akbar, VA, 1:14:48, $250

35th Chevron Houston Marathon

MEN
1) Feyisa Tusse, ETH, 2:11:39, $28,000
2) Mikhail Khobotov, RUS, 2:13:46, $12,000
3) Benson Cheruiyot, KEN, 2:14:03, $7000
4) Nicodemus Malakwen, KEN, 2:14:12, $4000
5) David Cheruiyot, KEN, 2:15:55, $2000
Top U.S.
8) Michael Reneau, USA / WI, 2:17:46

WOMEN
1) Dire Tune, ETH, 2:26:52*, $35,000
2) Beata Rakonczai, HUN, 2:30:14, $12,000
3) Firaya Sultanova-Zhdanova, 45, RUS, 2:39:06, $8500
4) Claudia Camargo, ARG, 2:42:32, $4000
5) Jenna Boren, USA / MN, 2:42:39, $2000
*course and state records (previous record, 2:27:51, Ingrid Kristiansen, 1984)

Complete results at: ChevronHoustonMarathon.com

Return to top / Return to main page

Yae Captures Second Victory at P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon
New Champion Crowned on Women's Side
Race report from Susan Reid

TEMPE, Ariz. - (Jan. 14, 2007) - Ethiopian Terefae Yae returned to the medal stand and the women's race saw a new champion at the fourth edition of the P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon and ½ Marathon Sunday. Yae, who won here in 2005 and was runner-up last year, used a sprint down the home stretch to win the 26.2-mile race in a time of 2 hours, 14 minutes, 13 seconds. Adanech Zekiros, also from Ethiopia, won the women's race in 2:31:43, the second fastest women's time in event history.

Running on a chilly morning where the thermometer read 28 degrees at the start, the men ran a slow, tactical race that quickly broke into two packs. Yae, 25, with countryman and friend Fikadu Degefu, 34, stayed at the front, running 5:23 and 5:22 thru miles 18 and 19. Belarus product Andrei Gordeev, 31, after twice falling off the pack, surged to the front at mile 21 before he and the pack slowed to a 5:36 mile thru 22.

In 2006, it was Yae who lost the sprint to the finish. This year, he turned the table and used a late burst of speed to edge out Degefu who finished just three seconds behind in 2:14:16. Gordeev was third in 2:14:27 and defending champion Shimelis Mola, also from Ethiopia, finished fourth in 2:14:51.

"The Ethiopians are strong in the shorter distances," Degefu said of Yae's sprint. "But I don't have the speed as he does. We are coming into the finish with three people (Yae, Gordeev). I tried to come together with my friend, Terefae, but he has more power."

"Our bodies were not warm," Yae countered as the athletes commented on the unusually cool race conditions. "It is like putting your body in ice. I never could get warm."

Zekiros, who was making her first appearance in the United States, battled the length of the course with Mulu Seboka, passing thru the 10K and half-marathon marks with a course record in sight. Zekiros made her decisive move in the 21st mile and went on to win by nearly four minutes. Salomie Getnet, 20, another youngster making her first appearance in the U.S., was second in 2:35:12.

Three-time defending champion Shitaye Gemechu struggled with a stomach illness and did not finish, dropping out near mile 14.

Over 36,600 participants, including the Phoenix Children's Hospital Kids' Rock racers, registered for the fourth annual P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon & ½ Marathon. Over $5.8 million (net) was raised by 2,300 runners and walkers representing 13 official charities.

4th P. F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon
Phoenix / Scottsdale / Tempe, AZ, Sunday, January 14, 2007

MEN
1) Terefae Yae, 25, Ethiopia, 2:14:13, $20,000
2) Fikadu Degefu, 34, Ethiopia, 2:14:16, $10,000
3) Andrei Gordeev, 31, Belarus, 2:14:27, $6500
4) Shimelis Mola, 24, Ethiopia, 2:14:51, $4000
5) Girma Tola, 30, Ethiopia, 2:16:19, $3000
6) Yuriy Hychun, 29, Ukraine, 2:18:35, $1800
7) Assefa Mezgebu, 23, Ethiopia, 2:19:38, $1400
8) Giday Amaha, 29, Ethiopia, 2:21:41, $1200
9) Dejene Nigussie, 22, Ethiopia, 2:22:08, $1100
10) Tobias Hiskia, 29, Namibia, 2:22:31, $1000

WOMEN
1) Adanech Zekiros, 24, Ethiopia, 2:31:43, $20,000
2) Salomie Getnet, 20, Ethiopia, 2:35:12, $10,000
3) Maria Portilla, 33, Peru, 2:37:40, $6500
4) Mulu Seboka, 22, Ethiopia, 2:42:44, $4000
5) Susan Loken, 42, USA / AZ, 2:47:09, $3000
6) Danuta Marczyk Tesch, 33, Poland, 2:52:16, $1800
7) Kara Ryczek, 32, USA / MA, 2:52:22, $1400
8) Michele Suszek, 24, USA / CO, 2:55:09, $1200
9) Amy Regnier, 44, USA / CO, 2:56:28, $1100
10) Sarah Cowles, 32, USA / CA, 2:59:15, $1000

State of Arizona
MEN
1) David Allison, 36, Phoenix, 2:30:35, $1000
2) Ron Hyde, 47, Scottsdale, 2:34:31, $500

WOMEN
1) Susan Loken, 42, Phoenix, 2:47:09, $1000
2) Rhonda Riley, 24, Tempe, 3:01:38, $500

Maricopa County
MEN
1) David Allison, 36, Phoenix, 2:30:35, $1000
2) Ron Hyde, 47, Scottsdale, 2:34:31, $500

WOMEN
1) Susan Loken, 42, Phoenix, 2:47:09, $1000
2) Rhonda Riley, 24, Tempe, 3:01:38, $500

MASTERS (40+)
Male
Ron Hyde, 47, Scottsdale, AZ, 2:34:31, $1000

Female
Susan Loken, 42, Phoenix, AZ, 2:47:09, $1000

Wheelchair
Tyler Byers, 24, Reston, VA, 1:57:28, $600

Half Marathon winners (no prize money in the half)
Male - Morten Bostrom, 24, Flagstaff, AZ, 1:06:33
Female - Liz Wilson, 38, Eugene, OR, 1:18:37

Full results at: RnRAZ.com

Return to top / Return to main page

World's Greatest Marathon Runners Set for London: Gebrselassie, Tergat, Baldini, Gharib and Limo
Keflezighi, Khannouchi Lead U.S. Contingent

LONDON - (January 11, 2007) The world's greatest marathon runners will go head-to-head in a battle for the 2007 men's Flora London Marathon title on Sunday, April 22nd.

Last year's fastest marathon runner Haile Gebrselassie will take on his great rival and world record holder Paul Tergat of Kenya, plus Italy's Olympic champion Stefano Baldini, Morocco's double world champion Jaouad Gharib and the reigning London champion Felix Limo of Kenya, in one of the highest quality men's fields ever assembled for a major city marathon.

"We are delighted to have such a strong field for the men's elite race again," said Flora London Marathon Race Director David Bedford. "The presence of the world record holder, the world and Olympic champions, our reigning champion and the in-form Haile Gebrselassie will, I am sure, mean we have another hugely exciting race through London's streets."

Gebrselassie returns to London 12 months after finishing a disappointing ninth in the 2006 race but on the back of some highly impressive form in the latter part of last year. The Ethiopian - a double Olympic and four-time world 10,000m champion - recorded a personal best of 2:05:56 to win the real,- Berlin Marathon in September, making him the fifth fastest of all-time, and he also won the Fukuoka Marathon in December.

Tergat set his world record of 2:04:55 in Berlin in 2003 but was forced to pull out of the London Marathon last year after sustaining an injury just a few days before the race. The 37-year-old, who finished second in London in 2001 and 2002, will meet Gebrselassie over the marathon distance for the first time since London 2002 after a track rivalry that stretches back to the 1993 World Championships in Stuttgart.

But these two will certainly not be the only contenders. Limo proved last year that he is a hard man to beat as he added the London title to previous victories in Rotterdam, Berlin and Chicago, and this year he will aim to become the first man since Mexico's Dionicio Ceron in 1996 successfully to defend the men's London Marathon crown.

Fifth last year, Baldini will be full of confidence for his eighth appearance in London after adding the European Championship title to his 2004 Olympic crown last summer, while Gharib will be hoping to improve on finishing second in 2005 before he defends his World Championship title in Osaka this August.

Other significant contenders include: the surprise winner of the 2006 ING New York City Marathon, Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil; the impressive American pair of 2004 Olympic silver medalist Meb Keflezighi and former world record holder Khalid Khannouchi and Kenya's Martin Lel, the 2005 London champion, who lost to Limo last year by just two seconds.

The addition of South Africa's Hendrick Ramaala, who was third last year, means that the top five finishers from 2006 return to contest the 2007 race.

The British challenge will be led by Jon Brown, who has twice finished fourth at the Olympic Games. Brown was forced to miss last year's race due to injury, but returns to the London field hoping to improve on his sixth place finish in 2005.

As well as chasing prize money and record bonuses totaling more than $250,000, the competitors in this year's race will also be fighting for points towards the World Marathon Majors (WMM) series. The other WMM races this year are the Boston Marathon (April 16), the real,- Berlin Marathon (September 30), the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon (October 7) and the ING New York City Marathon (November 4), plus the IAAF World Championship marathon races in Osaka (August 25 for men and September 2 for women).

Flora London Marathon 2007

Professional men / personal record
Paul Tergat (KEN), 2:04:55, world record
Khalid Khannouchi (USA / NY), 2:05:38, U.S. record
Haile Gebrselassie (ETH), 2:05:56, two-time Olympic 10,000m gold medalist
Felix Limo (KEN), 2:06:14, defending race champion
Martin Lel (KEN), 2:06:41, 2005 race champion
Hendrick Ramaala (RSA), 2:06:55
Jaouad Gharib (MAR), 2:07:02, 2003 / 2005 World Champion
Stefano Baldini (ITA), 2:07:22, 2004 Olympic Marathon gold medalist
Benson Cherono (KEN), 2:07:58
Hicham Chat (MAR), 2:07:59
Marilson Gomes dos Santos (BRA), 2:08:48
Jon Brown (GBR), 2:09:31
Meb Keflezighi (USA / CA), 2:09:53, 2004 Olympic Marathon silver medalist
Juan Carlos De la Ossa (ESP), debut

Further information contact the Flora London Marathon Press Office: Nicola Okey 0207-902-0182 / 07799-661345 or Alice Frith 0207-902-0199. For more about the Flora London Marathon go to: London-Marathon.co.uk

Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director
(805) 696-6232
Ryan@RunningUSA.org | www.RunningUSA.org