Posted: October 17, 2005

Athletics: Antonenko, Burangulova Win Under Armour Baltimore Marathon

By Steve Nearman, Running USA wire

BALTIMORE - (October 15, 2005) - Mykola Antonenko had a plan, he stuck to it and it worked.

"That was my plan, after 16 miles, I'd change the pace and run faster because I have been training well," the 33-year-old Ukrainian said through an interpreter shortly after winning the 5th Under Armour Baltimore Marathon. "I wanted to break the pack."

He did. He also broke the four-year Kenyan lock on the men's race, ably handling the hilly, windy course in 2 hours, 15 minutes, 40 seconds.

On the women's side, Ramilya Burangulova also made a strong mid-race move and successfully defended her 2004 title, giving Russia its fifth victor in the five years of the event. Her time was 2:42:00.

Under clear and sunny skies and with a cool breeze from the west, the marathon made its way from near Oriole Park at Camden Yards in downtown Baltimore uphill for a few miles before turning back downhill and into the city's famed Inner Harbor at 7 miles.

Both the men's and women's lead packs, coincidentally, had plenty of company - eight runners in each.

For the men, the 6-foot, 145-pound Antonenko was the driving force in the front, along with a Kenyan contingent of four.

Antonenko, who trains in the Ukraine and races in America twice a year, sported bib #1 as he had the best credentials coming into Baltimore. He ran a 2:16:12 at the Las Vegas International Marathon last January, good for fourth place. But his 2:13:59 at last year's Twin Cities Marathon, after a 2:14:43 at Austin eight months before, made him the man to beat.

Meanwhile, the 44-year-old Burangulova was the target of the other elite women by virtue of her 2004 triumph in an event record 2:40:21.

She carried other credentials, too: a stellar 2:33:03 at Grandma's on June 18, third overall and first master to go along with her 9th place finish at Boston last year in 2:34:08, again the first master.

She admitted after the race that she was running on a sore right Achilles, a nagging, recurring injury that required surgery in 1996 when she tore the tendon.

It didn't appear she was having any problems when she and fellow Russian Marina Bychkova slowly left three-time champion (2001-03) Elvira Kolpakova, another Russian, on the second passing of the Inner Harbor between 12 and 13 miles. Quickly, Burangulova put 5 seconds between herself and Bychkova by the halfway mark, which she passed in 1:22:06.

The 29-year-old Bychkova kept it close, however, until Burangulova went to work and picked up the pace. By mile 16, her lead was 23 seconds, and by mile 17, it was 37 seconds, with no other women in sight.

The temperature was starting to rise, although the short, muscular Burangulova, who trains in Gainesville, Fla., and began the process last year to gain U.S. citizenship, did not seem bothered at all.

Up ahead, the men were attacking the uphill section of the course which crests between the 20th and 21st miles at Lake Montebello. Through Patterson Park and beginning to climb toward the 17th mile marker, Antonenko pushed the pace with a 5:05 split and the pack was down to six. A mile later, he was in the lead by nine seconds with a 5:09 mile. With five miles remaining, Antonenko had gapped the field by 43 seconds.

As Antonenko glided down the last few miles back downtown, he took a long glance over his shoulder with half a mile to go, just making sure he was alone as he reached Camden Yards for the finish in the parking lot of M&T Stadium.

Nearly 27 minutes later, Burangulova would stride down the final stretch. Ilona Barvanova, who was fourth at the half, passed Kolpakova into third in the 21st mile and passed Bychkova into second by the 23rd mile and finished in 2:44:44, good for $5000. Kolpakova, running her third marathon in 14 days, held onto fourth place for $1500.

More than 11,000 entered in the Baltimore Running Festival, which was comprised of the marathon, a sold-out half-marathon, a marathon relay and a five kilometer race.

Ukranian Natalya Berkut and Abderrahim Haji, a Moroccan, took the top honors in the half-marathon in 1:17:18 and 1:08:16, respectively.

5th Under Armour Baltimore Marathon - Baltimore, MD, Saturday, October 15, 2005

MEN
1) Mykola Antonenko, Ukraine, 2:15:40, $15,000
2) Mikhail Khobotov, Russia, 2:17:00, $5000
3) Mindaugas Pukstas, Lithuania, 2:18:25, $3000
4) Joseph Mutinda, Kenya, 2:19:34, $1500
5) Wilson Komen, Kenya, 2:20:28, $1000
6) Peter Ayiemi Omea, Kenya, 2:22:44, $750
7) Zintu Maeza, Ethiopia, 2:26:24, $600
8) Craig Arnold, 46, MD, 2:31:20, $1000 first master + $1000 first Maryland resident
9) Matthew Wagoner, PA, 2:33:42, $450
10) John Piggott, 40, VA, 2:35:59, $1000 Armed Forces Challenge bonus

WOMEN
1) Ramilya Burangulova, 44, Russia, 2:42:00, $15,000
2) Ilona Barvanova, Ukraine, 2:44:44, $5000
3) Marina Bychkova, Russia, 2:46:07, $3000
4) Elvira Kolpakova, Russia, 2:50:15, $1500
5) Kathleen Jobes, PA, 2:50:56, $1000
6) Pamela Maldeis, MD, 2:55:16, $750 + $1000 first Maryland resident
7) Denise Knickman, MD, 2:57:09, $600
8) Kristin Van Eron, MD, 2:58:56, $450
9) Lee DiPietro, 47, MD, 3:01:26, $1000 masters
10) Margie Van Orden, NC, 3:09:20 $300

For more results, go to: TheBaltimoreMarathon.com.

Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Services Director
385 Oak View Lane
Santa Barbara, CA 93111

(805) 696-6232, fax (805) 967-5958
Ryan@RunningUSA.org
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