Posted: June 23, 2004

Athletics: Records May Fall in Fairfield Half-Marathon

From David Monti

(c) 2004 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

Fairfield: Kenyans Simon Wangai and Joseph Kariuki head an international field in this week’s Fairfield Half Marathon. Wangai won last year’s race and has won this year’s Bloomsday 12K (Spokane, WA) and Old Kent 25K (Grand Rapids, MI). Last year Wangai missed Tanzania’s John Yuda’s course record (62:39) by 3 seconds. Kariuki has a half marathon best of 60:30 and won last year’s Indianapolis Half Marathon. Also entered in the race are Ethiopia’s Araya Haregot and Kenyans Ronald Mogaka and Joseah Matui. Mogaka has a half marathon best of 61:28 and finished second in last month’s Indianapolis half marathon. Last year, Haregot won the Mystic Places Marathon and finished 3rd in the Fairfield Half Marathon. Matui recently finished 2nd the the Wheeling 20K (WV).

The women’s field boasts top athletes from Lithuania, Kenya, Russia, Ethiopia, Argentina and the United States. Lithuania’s Zivile Balciunaite has finished 3rd in the 2003 and 2004 Los Angeles Marathons. Kenyan Agnes Ngunjiri has finished 2nd in the 2002 and 2003 Fairfield Half Marathons. Russia’s Firaya Sultanova-Zhdanova has the fast marathon (2:27) and half marathon (69:00) best in the race. Ethiopian’s Leteyesus Berhe and Emily Samoei could both finish in the top five. Berhe finished 3rd in last year’s Fairfield Half Marathon. Samoei has been running well lately and boasts a half marathon best of 72:00. North Carolina’s Kristin Price, 2002 NCAA 10,000 meter champ, is running one of her first road races and could finish near the top.

The men’s and women’s half marathon course records could be in jeopardy this year. Event Coordinator John Bysiewicz states, "With so many top male runners, Yuda’s record could fall on a cool day. Balciunaite could break Van Blunk's course record (1:12:06 set in 1993) if she runs well."

For event information, visit fairfieldhalf.org or call (203) 481-5933. Hosted from its inception by the Fairfield Firefighters, the event’s lead sponsor is Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. The Connecticut Post, BMW of Bridgeport, 95.9 The FOX, News 12 Connecticut, Crystal Rock Bottled Water Company, CT Lottery, Bridgeport Hospital Foundation, Inc., Blackrock Realty, LLC, Fidelity Investments, Wade’s Dairy, Michael J. Knight & Co., Brigham’s Ice Cream and PowerAde support the Fairfield Road Races.

From FHM race director John Bysiewicz.