Posted: August 17, 2007

Athletics (RWire): EAS America's Finest City Half Marathon Features "Marathoning's Fastest Siblings"

30th edition sold-out with event field of 7,900 SAN DIEGO - (August 16, 2007) - Identical twins Hiromi and Takami Ominami of Japan - known as marathoning's fastest siblings - will headline the women's elite field at the 30th anniversary edition of the EAS America's Finest City Half Marathon (AFC) set for this Sunday, August 19. The men's field will feature Tesfaye Girma of Ethiopia and Kenyans Nelson Kiplagat and Francis Githama. Hiromi Ominami, 31, has clocked a marathon personal best of 2:23:26 (2006 Berlin Marathon, second place) and half-marathon best of 1:08:45 (2004 Sapporo Half Marathon). Takami also holds impressive credentials with a 2:23:43 marathon PR (2002 Rotterdam Marathon) and a half-marathon PR of 1:10:21 (2000 Miyazaki Half Marathon.) The AFC will be the first time the twins, currently based in Boulder, Colo., have raced together in the U.S. The women's field also includes Kenyan Lilian Chelimo, 30, with a half-marathon PR of 1:12:40 (2002 Berlin Half Marathon) and a marathon PR 2:35:47. Tesfaye Girma, 24, of Ethiopia comes to the race with the fastest half-marathon personal best (1:01:24, 2006 Sapporo International Half Marathon). Also entered are Kenyans Nelson Kiplagat, 27, with a PR of 1:02:48 (2006 Philadelphia Distance Run) and Francis Githama who will be making his U.S. race debut. The men's field also includes Maciek Miereczko, 27, of Poland who brings a 1:03:07 half-marathon best credential to the start line (3M Half Marathon at Austin, Texas in 2006). The AFC Half course records are 1:02:24 for the men and 1:10:37 for the women. Competitors in the half-marathon will vie for $13,700 in prize money and bonuses. A sold-out field of over 7,900 runners is expected to participate in the 30th EAS AFC Half which features a scenic point-to-point course that starts at Cabrillo National Monument, past San Diego Bay and finishes in historic Balboa Park. For more information, visit AFCHalf.com or call (760) 692-2900. Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director (805) 696-6232; Fax = (805) 659-0016 Ryan@RunningUSA.org www.RunningUSA.org. Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest