Kinyanjui, Safarova Win Country Music Marathon
Posted Sunday, 1 May, 2005
By Toni Reavis
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - (April 30, 2005) - Defined by close competitions where anything and everything has happened in the final mile, Saturday's 6th annual Country Music Marathon lived up to its heritage of heart-stopping finishes when Kenya's Nephat Kinyanjui powered through a 5:00 26th mile to pass long-time race leader Yuriy Hychun of Ukraine just a half-mile from the finish to win Nashville's signature running event by 27 seconds in 2:15:37. Another Kenyan, 2000 and 2004 champion Luke Kibet, also went by Hychun to take second place, trading positions on the winner's podium with Kinyanjui from 2004. Hychun finished third in 2:16:10.
"Last year, Luke overtook me at the end," said Kinyanjui, the 27-year-old champion. "So I was afraid to go out alone too soon. But at the end I felt very strong, and had a strong kick left when I needed it."
In the women's race, Russia's Irina Safarova used a 5:38 18th mile heading into Bicentennial Mall to pull away from a pack of four which included two-time Country Music champion Aurica Buia of Romania, 2004 Taipei Marathon champion Natalia Volgina of Russia and 24 year-old Ethiopian Yihunilish Bekele. She sealed her win with two more 5:35 miles, then cruised to the Coliseum finish line through Shelby Park to score a 2:33:53, the second fastest winning time in Country Music history.
"After sixteen miles, there was a moment where the other girls slowed down," said Safarova. "I realized this is the time. I must go now."
In 2004, Safarova ran three marathons by June and felt very tired. So she took time off after a third place finish at the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in San Diego, and focused on just the Country Music Marathon in 2005, which turned into a winning strategy. 2000-01 Country Music champion Aurica Buia of Romania won runner-up honors in 2:35:40.
The rains that lingered in the area all week long blew out the night before the race leaving overcast skies with light misty conditions, excellent for marathon running. Yuriy Hychun and Russia's Mihail Iveruk used the ideal conditions to blow through a 5:00 opening mile and a 5:09 second to open a thirty second lead on a chase pack of four Kenyans and three Ethiopians. By six miles, Andrei Gordeev of Belarus closed to join his eastern European colleagues, and together they built a 1:30 lead on the Africans through a 1:07:53 half-way split.
"We thought they were in the (accompanying) half-marathon until 13 miles," said 2000 and 2004 champion Luke Kibet. "When we realized they were in the marathon, we began to push."
Platinum recording artists Marty Roe and Jimmy Olander of Diamond Rio, who headlined the post-race concert two years ago, ran the Country Music ½ Marathon raising over $20,000 for Big Brothers and Big Sisters.
Nearly 18,000 runners from all 50 states and 10 foreign countries descended on Nashville for the sixth annual event.
6th Country Music Marathon
Nashville, TN, Saturday, April 30, 2005
MEN
1) Nephat Kinyanjui, 27, Kenya, 2:15:37, $17,500 or 05 Nissan Xterra
2) Luke Kibet, 30, Kenya, 2:16:04, $8000
3) Yuriy Hychun, 29, Ukraine, 2:16:10, $4000
4) Mihail Iveruk, 29, Russia, 2:16:27, $2000
5) Asnake Fekadu, 26, Kenya, 2:17:38, $1250
WOMEN
1) Irina Safarova, 35, Russia, 2:33:53, $17,500 or 05 Nissan Xterra
2) Aurica Buia, 35, Romania, 2:35:40, $8000
3) Tatiana Mironova, 36, Russia, 2:36:38, $4000
4) Natalia Volgina, 30, Russia, 2:39:30, $2000
5) Yihunilish Bekele, 24, Ethiopia, 2:42:28, $1250
For full results, go to: CMMarathon.com
Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Services Director
385 Oak View Lane
Santa Barbara, CA 93111
(805) 696-6232, fax (805) 967-5958
Ryan@RunningUSA.org
www.runningusa.org
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