Posted: March 11, 2006

Athletics: A New Father, Keflezighi To Run U.S. 15-K Championship Today

From David Monti

© 2006 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

Reigning Olympic Marathon silver medalist Meb Keflezighi became a father earlier this week when his wife, Yordanos, gave birth to a daughter, Sara, at 5:17 a.m. on Wednesday in San Diego.

"She's fast," Keflezighi said on his cell phone while waiting to change planes in Nashville this evening. He's on his way to Jacksonville, Fl., for tomorrow's Gate River Run, the U.S. 15-k Championships.

He said the birth, which was 10 days early, was quick. "She's a champ," he said of his wife.

Sara weighed six pounds, four ounces and was 18 inches long, Keflezighi said.

Keflezighi won the 15-K title four consecutive years, between 2001 and 2004. He did not race in Jacksonville last year due to an injury. He'll be facing a tough field, including Olympians Alan Culpepper and Abdi Abdirahman, plus defending champion, Ryan Shay.

The race in Jacksonville is part of Keflezighi's build-up to the BAA Boston Marathon on April 17 where he'll be making his Boston debut. Keflezighi finished third at last year's ING New York City Marathon.

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