Posted: April 25, 2004

Athletics: International Runners Dominate Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon & 10K Races

CLEVELAND (April 25, 2004) – Running on a newly-designed marathon course in windy, wet weather conditions and temperatures in the 50s, Alexander Belavin of Russia won the 27th Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon in 2:24:02, and Yolanda Mercado of Puerto Rico won the women’s title with a time of 2:53:28.

In the 10K, Kenyan runners swept the top six positions. Patrick Nthiwa of Kenya won the race in a sprint to the finish line with a time of 29:00, just one second ahead of teammate Reuben Chebi and four seconds ahead of teammate John Itati. In the women’s 10K, Galina Alexandrova of Russia posted a winning time of 33:07.

About 6,000 thousand runners, walkers and wheelchair competitors took part in the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon & 10K, which was run for the first time entirely within Cleveland’s city limits. The new urban loop course had runners passing numerous west- and east-side landmarks as they made their way to the finish line near the Galleria at Erieview in downtown.

MARATHON RECAP
Men’s marathon winner Alexander Belavin previously won the Jacksonville Marathon. His personal record time of 2:19 was set in Lyon, France. Second and third place were taken two Ohioans; Scott Fry, Tiffin (2:25:07), and Karoly Bozan, Northfield (2:28:26). Last year’s winner, Richard Roberts, Mansfield, dropped out of the race due to an injury.

The top woman marathoner, Yolando Mercado, Puerto Rico, was attempting to qualify for the Puerto Rican Olympic team. In second place was Nadeshda Sandrkina, Russia (2:57:31), and in third place was the top Ohio finisher, Laura Fuduric, Middleburg Heights (3:00:01).

10K RECAP
Patrick Nthiwa has been a top finisher in several 10K races this year. This is the first year his teammate, Ruebin Chebi, is running in the U.S. Women’s winner Galina Alexandrova has been one of the top 10K runners in U.S. races this year. Olga Romanova, Russia (33:40), came in second place, and Naomi Wangui, Kenya (33:51), was third.

The Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon and 10K is one of the 50 longest-running marathon events in the country. The 10K race routinely draws international competitors and was home course to the world-record 10K time of 27:20 from 1996 to 2002.

Complete race results are available on the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon and 10K Web site, www.clevelandmarathon.com.