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VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - (Sept. 3, 2006) - In the wake of tropical storm Ernesto, Virginia Beach welcomed favorable weather for race day and it quickly became clear that runners from Kenya would dominate the sixth annual Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon under clear skies. Kenyan James Kwambai, 23, covered the 13.1-mile course in a time of 1 hour, 3 minutes, 30 seconds while Edna Kiplagat, 26, also from Kenya, won the women's race in 1:11:08. Both champions took home $12,000.
Kwambai entered the race wary of his competition. The field included the champion of the 2004 Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon, Haron Toroitich, 28, from Kenya and Ethiopian Dejene Berhanu, 26, who entered the race with the fastest half-marathon time in the men's field (59:23).
Having learned a valuable tactical lesson in 2005, Kwambai held his finishing surge a little longer to refrain from fading at the finish as he strode to victory instead of fighting for second place as he did last year.
Through miles seven and eight, the large men's pack began to break up, dropping the pre-race favorite Berhanu. It was then that Kwambai began to take control. He turned in a 14 minute 5K through miles nine and 11.
At the turn on to the oceanfront boardwalk, Evans Cheruiyot, 25, of Kenya was in the process of building an attack on Kwambai in the final miles, but his strategy was futile as Kwambai released the surge he had patiently reserved to open up a commanding lead which he kept to the finish line. Cheruiyot finished second in 1:03:49.
Reflecting on his competition, Kwambai said he had been afraid of the 'finishing speed' of some of the other top men, but was obviously content with his improvement from 2005 as he accepted the champion's trophy with a smile.
As is customary in Virginia Beach, the women's professional field started five minutes ahead of the men and remained in a tight pack for the first half of the race. The field jockeyed for position through miles four and five before settling into a conservative pace.
Mild attacks at the pace came shortly after mile five by the Alice Chelangat, 29, of Kenya, who won this year's Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in San Diego, Calif. Romanian Luminita Talpos, 33, chose to challenge the pace as the pack of 16 women approached mile seven before the eventual champion Kiplagat made her presence felt.
Through miles seven and 10, Kiplagat increased the pace, turning in the fastest split of the race at mile 10 (5:11). As she turned on to the boardwalk for the final two miles of the race, Kiplagat had secured victory in her debut half-marathon against a field that, in her words, contained some dangerous competition.
"I wanted to run carefully in my first half-marathon," Kiplagat said. "I am very happy to win."
A sold out field of 20,000 entrants joined the elite athletes along the 13.1-mile course that finishes along the Atlantic shoreline, including approximately 1,000 runners and walkers from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training, The National AIDS Marathon Team, The NF Marathon Team and Team Hoyt (Dick and Rick Hoyt). The efforts of the participants in these charity programs helped raise a total of $1.3 million (net) at this year's event. Sixteen cheer squads and over 20 bands lined the course to entertain and motivate the runners and walkers. The evening capped off with a headliner concert featuring 3 Doors Down.
6th Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon presented by SunTrust - Virginia Beach, VA, Sunday, September 3, 2006
MEN
1) James Kwambai, 23, Kenya, 1:03:30, $12,000
2) Evans Cheruiyot, 25, Kenya, 1:03:49, $7000
3) Yusuf Songoka, 26, Kenya, 1:03:52, $5000
4) Charles Kiama, 20, Kenya, 1:03:53, $3000
5) Wilson Chebet, 24, Kenya, 1:04:02 $2000
6) David Langat, 32, Kenya, 1:04:04, $1500
7) Haron Toroitich, 28, Kenya, 1:04:15, $1000
8) Tetsuo Nishimura, 23, Japan, 1:04:32, $750
9) Japhet Kosgei, 38, Kenya, 1:04:53, $600
10) Takashi Ota, 26, Japan, 1:04:59, $500
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WOMEN
1) Edna Kiplagat, 26, Kenya, 1:11:08, $12,000
2) Alice Chelangat, 29, Kenya, 1:11:38, $7000
3) Nina Rillstone, 31, New Zealand, 1:11:41, $5000
4) Nuta Olaru, 35, Romania, 1:11:50, $3000
5) Lidia Simon, 32, Romania, 1:12:07, $2000
6) Yoko Miyauchi, 24, Japan, 1:12:17, $1500
7) Luminita Talpos, 33, Romania, 1:12:28, $1000
8) Hiroko Miyauchi, 24, Japan, 1:12:29, $750
9) Adriana Pirtea, 25, Romania, 1:12:48, $600
10) Akemi Ozaki, 29, Japan, 1:12:55, $500
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Full results at: RnRHalf.com.
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