Ndereba, Davenport Victorious in Sixth B.A.A. Half Marathon
Event-Record 3,482 Runners Finish the Race
Posted Tuesday, 10 October, 2006
Clear skies and cool conditions greeted the largest field in the history of
the B.A.A. Half Marathon, presented for the fourth consecutive year in 2006
by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and The Jimmy Fund. When City of Boston
Mayor Thomas M. Menino fired the starting gun at 8:05 a.m. this morning,
nearly 3,500 runners set out on the 13.1-mile route along Boston's Emerald
Necklace park system.
Unlike last year - when American Celedonio Rodriguez (Alamosa, CO) seized
the lead in the early miles and held off Samuel Ndereba (Kenya) for the win
- a large pack of six men stayed together through seven miles. At that
point, as Rodriguez, Ndereba, Richard Kiplagat (Kenya), Michael Misoi
(Kenya), and Peter Gilmore (San Mateo, CA) emerged from Franklin Park,
Ndereba and Kiplagat began to assert themselves. Misoi and Gilmore joined
them briefly, but by mile nine it was a two-man race, with Ndereba surging
to the fore in the 11th mile and extending his lead to the finish.
In the women's race, course record holder and Irish Olympian Marie Davenport
(Guilford, CT / Ireland) returned to Boston where she faced a stiff
challenge from newcomer Josephine Deemay (Tanzania), who had arrived in the
United States for the first time. Repeated surges failed to shake the
20-year-old Tanzanian until Davenport ultimately pulled away from her rival
at mile 10. Chasing the two leaders throughout the race was Boston Marathon
masters division course record holder Firaya Sultanova-Zhdanova (45,
Russia), who captured the 40-and older title for the second consecutive year
while also placing third overall.
Following the race, both Ndereba and Davenport were thrilled with their
performances. Ndereba - the younger brother of four-time Boston Marathon
Champion Catherine Ndereba - wore a huge grin as he chatted with reporters
and posed for photographs with his fellow competitors. Having lost to
Rodriguez by just 12 seconds in 2005, Ndereba readily admitted he'd changed
his tactics for the 2006 edition of the race. "Today I had a different plan
because last year the winner went fast, and we let him go . . . today we did
not allow him to push the pace," said an animated Ndereba, visibly pleased
to have won the B.A.A. Half Marathon on his third attempt (in addition to
placing second last year, Ndereba was sixth in 2004).
Davenport also bore a bright smile, relieved after having arrived at the
race unsure of her level of fitness. After suffering through a cold and
missing a workout as she prepared for today's race, Davenport nonetheless
felt strong over the final miles. As Davenport headed out of Franklin Park,
much of the field was heading in, and their cheers spurred her on. "The
volunteers, spectators and other participants were very supportive," she
said. "It was a great atmosphere."
After the 2005 edition of the B.A.A. Half Marathon was run in cold and rainy
conditions, today's weather could not have been better. A near-full moon was
still visible when the race began, and blue skies and a bright sun warmed
the finish as an event-record 3,482 runners crossed the finish line in
Roberto Clemente Park.
Media Contacts: Jack Fleming (617-236-1652, x2627; fleming@baa.org) or Marc
Chalufour (617-236-1652, x2632; chalufour@baa.org).
______________________________________________________________________
RESULTS
Open Men
1. Samuel Ndereba (KEN) 1:03:03 ($5,000)
2. Richard Kiplagat (KEN) 1:03:15 ($2,500)
[debut]
3. Michael Misoi (KEN) 1:04:01 ($1,500)
4. Peter Gilmore (San Mateo, CA) 1:04:31 ($1,000)
[Personal Record]
5. Celedonio Rodriguez (Alamosa, CO) 1:05:19 ($600)
6. John Mortimer (Waltham, MA) 1:06:01 ($500) [PR]
7. Steve Meinelt (Washington, DC) 1:06:54 ($400)
[debut]
8. Robert Cannon (Toms River, NJ) 1:09:26 ($300)
9. David Bedoya (Somerville, MA) 1:10:33 ($200)
10. Jared Markowitz (Cambridge, MA) 1:10:34 ($100)
Masters Men
1. Oscar Gonzalez-Barreto (New Haven, CT) 1:10:59 ($500)
2. Gregory Picklesimer (Newton, MA) 1:12:41 ($300)
3. Wayne Levy (Newton, MA / JAM) 1:14:00 ($100)
Wheelchair Men
1. Mark Ledo (CAN) 56:48 ($750)
2. Tony Nogueira (Glen Ridge, NJ) 57:06 ($500)
3. Timothy Kelly (Weymouth, MA) 1:06:20 ($250)
Open Women
1. Marie Davenport (Guilford, CT / IRL) 1:12:10 ($5,000)
2. Josephine Deemay (TAN) 1:13:17 ($3,000)
3. Firaya Sultanova-Zhdanova (RUS) 1:16:12 ($1,500)
4. Janelle Kraus (Pawtucket, RI) 1:16:48 ($1,000)
[debut]
5. Kasie Enman (Huntington, VT) 1:17:22 ($600) [PR]
6. Kara Ryczek (Waltham, MA) 1:19:57 ($500) [PR]
7. Carly Graytock (Cambridge, MA) 1:20:57 ($400)
8. Kimberly Nolan (Watertown, MA) 1:22:10 ($300) [PR]
9. Lynn Johnson (North Attleboro, MA) 1:24:41 ($200)
10. Farrell Hudzik (Charlotte, NC) 1:25:45 ($100)
Masters Women
1. Firaya Sultanova-Zhdanova (RUS) 1:16:12 (received 3rd
overall award)
2. Stephanie Hodge (New York, NY / CAN) 1:25:55 ($500)
3. Annette Bauer (Springfield, OH) 1:28:16 ($300)
4. Sarah Nixon (Medfield, MA) 1:28:46 ($100)
Wheelchair Women
1. April Coughlin (New York, NY) 1:15:17 ($750)
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