Kabiso, Foody Win Avia OC Marathon
By Dennis Bickmeier
Posted Monday, 7 January, 2008
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - (January 6, 2008) - Kassahun Kabiso and Cheryl Foody captured men's and women's titles to highlight the fourth annual Avia OC Marathon presented by Nutrilite on Sunday morning.
Kabiso, 24, a native of Ethiopia, ran the 26.2 mile course, which started in Newport Beach and finished in Irvine, in 2 hours, 23 minutes, 46 seconds with his first-ever OC Marathon. Foody clocked a 2008 Olympic Trials qualifying 2:38:38 to set a new race record, shattering the old mark by nearly eight minutes. Mary Akor established the previous mark of 2:46:04 last year.
Foody, 27, a local runner from nearby Aliso Viejo, who had not competed in a marathon since 2004, showed no ill effects from the layoff as she wrested the lead away at the 12-mile mark and went unchallenged to the tape.
"It's all good right now," said Foody, who began training in earnest in September. "There are peaks and valleys in every race, but overall, I felt strong."
Alluding to her hiatus from marathon competition, Foody realized she needed to take action. "Something clicked in my head that if I wanted to achieve my goals and dreams, I'd better go for it," she said.
Foody outdistanced Romanian Claudia Colita, who finished runner-up in 2:47:10, and third place finisher Rebecca Tallam(2:58:46) of Kenya.
Christian Hesch, the 2007 OC Marathon men's winner, seemed headed for a repeat win after holding a two and a half minute lead at the race's midpoint. But his cushion dwindled to 45 seconds at the 18-mile mark and he retired shortly thereafter.
Kabiso seized the lead, and held off challengers Deresse Deniboba and Charles Kiplagat. Kiplagat closed to within 30 meters of Kabiso in between mile 24 and 25, but Kabiso took one look over his shoulder and put on a burst of speed, lengthening his lead out to 80 meters.
"I know you have to be smart and control your pace," said Kabiso. "Our paces were different, but when I began to pull away I knew I was going to win."
An injured toe prevented Kiplagat, who finished second in 2:24:52, from generating a push in the final stretch. "That last mile I thought I could catch him (Kabiso), but my toe was a problem. My toe didn't give me room for a final kick."
Winners of the half-marathon included a pair of Kenyans on the men's and women's sides. Wesley Ochoro (1:04:14.85) nipped fellow countryman Lamech Mokono (1:04:14.90) by one-half of one-tenth of a second to take the men's title, while Hyvon Ngetich ran a 1:13:57 to win the women's race.
In the men's 5K, Dave Schumacher of Huntington Beach won in 15:17, narrowly edging Riverside's Spencer Knight (15:19). The women's 5K victor was Huntington Beach's Kelly Flathers, who had a time of 17:35, over masters and past winner Ceci St. Geme of Newport Beach.
4th Avia OC Marathon presented by Nutrilite
Newport Beach, CA, Sunday, January 6, 2008
MEN
1) Kassahun Kabiso (ETH), 2:23:46, $2500
2) Charles Kiplagat (KEN), 2:24:52, $1500
3) Deresse Deniboba (ETH), 2:27:03, $1000
WOMEN
1) Cheryl Foody (USA / CA), 2:38:38*, $3500
2) Claudia Colita (ROM), 2:47:10, $1500
3) Rebecca Tallam (KEN), 2:58:46, $1000
*course record (previous record, 2:46:04, Mary Akor (USA / CA), 2007)
Half-Marathon
MEN
1) Wesley Ochoro (KEN), 1:04:15, $800
2) Lamech Mokono (KEN), 1:04:15, $700
3) Ezkyas Sisay, 18, (ETH), 1:07:45, $100
WOMEN
1) Hyvon Ngetich (KEN), 1:13:57, $1300
2) Jacqueline Nytipei (KEN), 1:14:17, $1200
3) Jane Kibii (KEN), 1:15:53, $600
5K
MEN
1) Dave Schumacher (CA), 15:17
2) Spencer Knight, 18, (CA), 15:19
3) Christian Rojas (CA), 15:38
WOMEN
1) Kelly Flathers (CA), 17:35
2) Ceci St. Geme, 44, (CA), 17:50
3) Sherri Ellerby, 43, (CA), 18:00
Deeper results at: www.OCMarathon.com
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