Posted: June 15, 2006

Athletics: Steamboat Classic Features Kiplagat/Johnson Rematch

From David Monti

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

The 33rd edition of the Steamboat Classic in Peoria, Ill., a four mile road race scheduled for Saturday, will feature the third match-up in three weeks between Dutchwoman Lornah Kiplagat and Australian Benita Johnson.

In Albany on June 3, Johnson won the Freihofer's Run for Women 5-K in heavy rain in 15:27, while early leader Kiplagat faded to third in 15:47. One week later at the Circle of Friends New York Mini 10-K in New York City, Kiplagat evened the score with a runaway victory in 31:27; Johnson finished fourth in 32:14. Both athletes left New York on Tuesday morning to compete in Peoria.

But the race may not come down to those two Olympians and national record holders. Two-time and defending champion, Constantina Tomescu-Dita of Romania, could top them both. She's appeared in the race six consecutive times and has a best time on the course of 20:15. Second at last year's LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, Tomescu-Dita is the reigning IAAF World Half-Marathon champion.

Other top women expected to compete for the $4000 first prize include American Nicole Aish, Russian Olga Romanova and Ethiopian Meskerem Legesse.

On the men's side of the race, road racing ace John Korir of Kenya will battle Fabiano Joseph of Tanzania. But they better watch out for American Fernando Cabada who recently set a pending U.S. record for 25 km.

The course records, both set by Kenyans in 1995, are 17:24 by Josphat Machuka and 19:28 by Delillah Asiago

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