Ethiopian Couple Wins America's Finest City Half Marathon
Defending women's champion Gebre repeats, sets course record; sold-out field of nearly 10,000 at 33rd edition

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By Patrice Malloy
Posted Monday, 16 August, 2010

From Ryan Lamppa, Running USA

SAN DIEGO - (August 15, 2010) - A pair of Ethiopian athletes who also happen to be a couple won the men's and women's divisions at the 33rd America's Finest City Half Marathon held on Sunday in cloudy conditions and temperatures that hovered around 60 degrees.

A sold-out field of almost 10,000 professional and recreational runners from 44 states and 18 countries participated in the half-marathon and AFC 5K.

Ezkyas Sisay, 21, of Ethiopia was the first to fly across the finish line, winning in 1 hour, 3 minutes and 58 seconds, while Sisay's girlfriend and the defending race champion Belainesh Gebre, 22, of Ethiopia led the women's field wire-to-wire, winning in 1:10:28, a new course record. The previous record was 1:10:37, set by Kenyan Margaret Okayo in 2001.

The boyfriend-girlfriend duo each pocketed $1500 for their wins, while Gebre earned an additional $1000 for breaking the course record, as well as a bonus of $500 for repeating as AFC Half champion.

In the men's race, Sisay and Kenyans Paul Ngeny and Benard Langat dominated the initial 10K, swapping leads, with Langat ahead at the 10K mark in 29:16, just a stride ahead of Sisay. The African trio became a duo at mile 9 when Ngeny dropped back, leaving Langat to battle Sisay who prevailed as the stronger, more experienced of the two. Sisay, who secured his win-clenching lead in the final mile, bettered his 2009 performance by more than 6 minutes.

"I knew I had it in the last mile," said Sisay, who was ill during the 2009 event, finishing in 11th place (1:10:47).

Langat finished 58 seconds back in 1:04:56. American Josh Spiker, 28, of Ventura, Calif. edged out Tonny Okello of Uganda for third, both clocking 1:05:23.

The women's race was Gebre vs. the clock as she led from the get-go.

"I came here for the course record," said Gebre, who won in 1:10:49 last year, 12 seconds shy of the course record. Claire Hallissey, 27, of Great Britain, was runner-up in 1:12:22 and Yuri Takamizawa, 21, of Japan, rounded out the podium in third (1:13:22).

The scenic 13.1-mile America's Finest City Half Marathon started at 7:00am at the historic Cabrillo National Monument in Point Loma, ran along San Diego Bay, through downtown San Diego and finished near the Hall of Champions in Balboa Park. The accompanying AFC 5K race started and finished at the half-marathon finish line. A post-race party and awards ceremony followed in Balboa Park.

The event benefits the Cabrillo National Monument Foundation, Cancer Patients Alliance and other local charities. During its 33-year history, the America's Finest City Half Marathon has raised more than $3.4 million for non-profit organizations.

33rd America's Finest City Half Marathon
San Diego, CA, Sunday, August 15, 2010

MEN
1) Ezkyas Sisay (ETH), 1:03:58, $1500
2) Benard Langat (KEN), 1:04:56, $1000
3) Josh Spiker (USA / CA) 1:05:23, $750
4) Tonny Okello (UGA) 1:05:23, $500
5) Paul Ngeny (KEN), 1:05:39, $300
Masters (40+): John Reich, 41, USA / AZ, 1:15:24, $300

WOMEN
1) Belainesh Gebre (ETH), 1:10:28*, $3000#
2) Claire Hallissey (GBR), 1:12:22, $1000
3) Yuri Takamizawa (JPN), 1:13:22, $750
4) Shino Saito (JPN), 1:14:52 $500
5) Hirut Mandefro (ETH), 1:16:15, $300
Masters (40+): Susan Loken, 47, USA / AZ, 1:20:52, $300
*course record (previous record, 1:10:37, Margaret Okayo (KEN), 2001)
#$1500 plus $1000 Open course record and $500 repeat champion bonus

Complete results at: www.afchalf.com