Posted: October 8, 2005

Athletics: Kastor wins in Chicago

CHICAGO, Ill. - Olympic marathon bronze medalist Deena Kastor won the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon today, beating defending champion Constantina Tomescu-Dita of Romania by five seconds. Kastor missed her own American record by just nine seconds running 2:21:25, while Dita's 2:21:30 was a personal best by over one minute.

As Kastor and Dita ran together, they passed half-way in 1:09:17 before exchanging the lead periodically until 19 miles when Kastor pulled away. By 22 miles Kastor held a 38 second lead and looked to have her third American Record of the year in sight but a stiff headwind the final four miles cost her the record. Her win was the first for an American woman since Kristy Johnston in 1994.

"It's bittersweet, I'm happy for the win but wanted to run faster," said Kastor. "I suffered greatly in the last five kilometers."

On the men's side, Felix Limo of Kenya won in the fastest marathon time of the year, running 2:07:02 beating countryman Benjamin Maiyo by seven seconds. U.S. Olympic marathoner Alan Culpepper was 12th in 2:13:18.

For more information on the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon visit www.chicagomarathon.com.