Bastos, Mizutani Win Walt Disney World Marathon
Brazilian wins fifth straight Disney, sixth overall; Mizutani women's winner; event record 45,000 participate in Disney Marathon Weekend

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Posted Monday, 12 January, 2009

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - (Jan. 11, 2009) - In what is becoming an extraordinary Walt Disney World Marathon tradition, Adriano Bastos of Brazil celebrated another Disney Marathon victory Sunday by coasting to his fifth straight win and sixth overall. Lisa Mizutani won the women's title at the 16th edition.

Bastos, 30, led a Disney record field of 22,000 runners virtually from start to finish around the 26.2 mile course which traced through all four of Disney's theme parks. He crossed the finish line in 2 hours, 20 minutes, 38 seconds - roughly seven minutes ahead of runner-up Aaron Church (South Riding, Va.), who was followed by Matthew Fecht (Warren, Mich.) in third. Bastos' time was 20 seconds faster than last year when he posted a time of 2:20:58.

"My goal is to win 10 Disney Marathons," said Bastos, who adds another Disney-themed tattoo after each marathon win. "I love running this marathon because I can run and then have fun in the Disney theme parks."

Mizutani of Japan easily outran the women competitors. The 23-year-old, who made the transatlantic trip specifically to run in the Disney Marathon, broke away from the pack early partly because of the enthusiastic cheers from spectators along the route and ran unchallenged virtually the entire 26.2 miles. She cruised to the finish in 2:46:27, comfortably ahead of Melanie Peters (St. Petersburg, Fla.), who was last year's champion and also ran the half-marathon on Saturday, and Christa Benton (St. Petersburg, Fla.), who finished third a year ago.

In the wheelchair division, Krige Schabort of Cedartown, Ga. crossed the line first (1:37:19). Among the women, Shirley Reilly of Tucson, Ariz. won the title (2:09:51).

On Saturday, with more than 17,000 Disney Half Marathon participants on a chilly Florida morning, David Jankowski of Rochester Hills, Mich. and Elizabeth Chelagat of Kenya won the men's and women's overall titles, in 1:07:36 and 1:17:32, respectively. Jankowski's win marks the seventh title in either the men's or women's Open division for the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project.

The victories by Bastos and Mizutani capped a weekend of endurance events at Disney, including the Disney Half Marathon, the Circle of Life 5K, Disney's Kid Races and a Health & Fitness Expo. In all, more than 45,000 runners competed in events throughout the weekend, making this the largest Disney Marathon Weekend since the event's debut in 1994.

Due to the overwhelming popularity of the Walt Disney World Marathon, registration for the 2010 Disney Marathon Weekend begins Monday, Jan. 12, 2009. To register for the marathon or for any Disney endurance race, visit: www.DisneyWorldMarathon.com or www.DisneyEnduranceSeries.com

16th Walt Disney World Marathon
Orlando, FL, Sunday, January 11, 2009

MEN
1) Adriano Bastos (BRA), 2:20:38
2) Aaron Church (VA), 2:27:12
3) Matthew Fecht (MI), 2:29:35
4) Cesar Martins (BRA), 2:29:52
5) Samuel Jurek (WI), 2:34:35

WOMEN
1) Lisa Mizutani (JPN), 2:46:27
2) Melanie Peters (FL), 2:53:49
3) Christa Benton (FL), 2:54:35
4) Jennifer Hanley-Pinto (FL), 2:56:05
5) Natasha Yaremczuk (CAN), 2:57:24

12th Walt Disney World Half Marathon
Orlando, FL, Saturday, January 10, 2009

MEN
1) David Jankowski (MI), 1:07:36
2) Edward Kiptum (KEN), 1:08:10
3) Jarrod Shoemaker (MA), 1:08:17
4) Paul Jellema (MI), 1:08:57
5) Adam Siepiola (NY), 1:11:09

WOMEN
1) Elizabeth Chelagat (KEN), 1:17:32
2) Suzanne Huelster (NJ), 1:20:55
3) Kimberly Coleman (KY), 1:22:54
4) Tiffany Chartier (FL), 1:23:18
5) Melanie Peters (FL), 1:24:08

Deeper results at: www.DisneyWorldMarathon.com

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