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Narragansett to Warwick, Rhode Island
Kuznetsov Masters the Marathon at Ocean State In his sixth and final marathon in the U.S. before he returns to his native Russia, Andrey Kuznetsov capped off his incredible year with a 2:17:59 outright win in the Brooks Pharmacy Ocean State Marathon. Kuznetsov, 41, used his superior strength and tenacity to move away from Tesfaye Eticha, 24, of Ethiopia, last year's winner, just after mile 24 in a race which was tactical through the early miles as up to 12 runners were in the lead pack through four miles at 21:22. By mile ten, passed at 53:16, the group of pacesetters was thinned to seven as Kuznetsov and Francis Wanderi, 32, of Kenya, runnerup last year, ran the point as a courseside bagpiper played an appropriate tune. The others in the tightly knit group were Eticha, Sergei Shalomayev, 31, of Russia, Nivaldho Filho, 38, of Brazil, who placed third last year, Sergei Karasev, 32, of Russia, and Guennadi Voronstov, 22, of Belarus. By the half-marathon at 1:09:12, a time which left them well over the 1:16:22 run by John Gregorek and Simon Peter for that checkpoint in 1995, the group was five with Voronstov and Karasev drooping off the pace. The quintet remained the same, with shared pacemaking through 15 miles at 1:19:00. At 18 miles, however, Kuznetsov began to sense that the tempo was not going to produce a course record, but he could possibly forge a victory and garner considerable extra age group record and incentive money if he hustled, ( $7,500 total). In another mile Filho was gone off the pace.Through the hill leading to 20 miles Shalomayev succumbed to the pressure exerted by his surging traveling/training and racing companion and Wanderi fell back with him. The duo of Kuznetsov and Etciha passed 20 at 1:45:51 and the race began. With unwavering intensity Kuznetsov pushed miles between 5:05 to 5:10 depending on terrain and Eticha clung on behind letting only his shadow give away his continued presence. At 2:06:39 into the race the pair passed 24 miles and Kuznetsov gained his first distinct advantage. By 25 miles at 2:11:46 he was well clear and alone to anticipate the fruits of his last U.S. marathon of 1998 and to the prospect of wearing the victor's laurels. From January at the Houston Marathon where he was first master with a 2:16:45 he went on to win Jamaica's Cement Marathon in February with a course record of 2:20:37. He returned to Russia and in April he barely made it back into the U.S. in time for Boston. None the worse for wear and tear of last minute travel he bested all masters with a 2:15:57. Then he cut through Grandma's in June with another master's victory at 2:14:12 to finish second overall and was again the runnerup at Twin Cities in October with a 2:15:36. The stage was set and in the end Kuznetsov performed like a true champion.
Biktagirova Valiant in Victory at Ocean State
When Madina Biktagorova, 34, was forced to abandon the New York City Marathon on November she made the decision to attempt to recover and use her fitness level again before returning home. She entered the Brooks Pharmacy Ocean State Marathon with the hope her stomach ailment would abate and she would be able to use her considerable talent to break the 1995 course record of 2:35:10 of her countrywoman, Larisa Ziousko, and perhaps, run under the 2:33:00 time incentive time as well. After all, she had authored a personal best of 2:24:46 in Berlin 1997 to place second and followed that performance with a second place 2:27:19 at the Nagoya, Japan Women's International Marathon in February and in August was bronze medalist at the European Championships at Budapest with a 2:28:10, so there was no point in wasting her athletic talent because of what might have been a tummy ache. As the race began she was expected to have a challenge from Christine McNamara, 32, of Colorado, who had placed second to Ziousko in 1995 with a 2:36:21 and then went on to place 7th at London with a 2:28:20. It wasn't to be, however, as Biktagirova went to the fron she had only men as company. Through the early miles she remained about a minute behind the mile pace of the lead men. In the middle miles, she increased her turnover and began putting together consistent sub 6 minute miles. But the northwest wind and the nagging discomfort in her innards were, in tandem, battering her slight body. She was still on both course record and time incentive pace to 20 miles. The die was cast though and she quickly began losing speed and her leg turnover, which had been brisk and steady, was ragged and she was visibly struggling. As she came into view of the finish line her distress was obvious and as she crossed the finish line with a 2:36:21, only 31 second off the course record, there was no exultation, there was only collapse. She slumped to her knees just beyond the stripe and looked very much like a weary soul sapped of every ounce of strength. Only her mental toughness forged on athletic ability and hours of training enabled her to endure the rigors of her 26.2 mile battle. In victory she was vanquished. As the medical people helped her into a wheelchair and rolled her toward the medical area she was far removed from the honor bestowed upon her by the spectators and officials who applauded her champion's courage.
Age Group Winners Led By Bonus Babies
After the outstanding performance of Kuznetsov came several other assaults on course record and time incentive times which yielded success by both men and women. In the 50-59 age group Brent McDonald, 52, of Canada, scorched the course and his erstwhile competitors, three of whom also bettered the course record of 2:52:36 run by Robert Graham in 1995, with a 2:38:40 that left many shaking their heads in disbelief. With a previous best of 2:40 as a 50-year-old his credentials were established but no one expected such a thorough thrasing. The next finsiher in the age group, Rafael Vegara Perez, 53, of Mexico City also went under the time incentive of 2:45:00 with his 2:44:30. He was followed by Stephen Reed, 50, of Wicassett, ME who ran 2:48:30 and Ty Schmalz, 50, of Houston, TX with a 2:49:26. McDonald and Perez split $2000 in incentive money and all four men shared the $1000 in course record bounty. Not to be outdone, the women age group winners did their own double dipping as Lee DiPietro, 40 of Ruxton, MD ran 2:51:24 outlegged Mary Burns Prine, 41, of San Diego, CA by 1:20. The pair of aces shared $2000 as they both eclipsed the course record of 2:54:01 run by Prine last year. Mary Preisel, 51, of Signal Mountain, TN was the next double money winner as she led women 50-59 with a 3:15:16 which took down Susan Gustafson's course record of 3:16:30 run last year. The next finisher in the grouping was Ghislaine Beaulieu of Canada with a 3:37:10. The men over 60 were led by Bill Riley, 61, of Marston's Mills, MA who ran a sub-par 3:04:16, well off his course record of 2:59:52 set last year. The over 60 women were led by Carolyn DeFonso of Overland Park, KS with a 4:58:49.
Noguera Upset, Winand Wheels to Another Win
Tony Nogueira, 29, of Glen Ridge, NJ, who has won at Ocean State three times and is the course record holder with a 1:39:32 in 1996 was outwheeled by his friend, Miguel Such of Wilkes Barre, PA. Their times were 1:46:36 and 1:47:00 respectively. Such won $1800 and Nogueira took home $600. Jason Fowler of North Kingstown was next at 2:14:53. Course record holder, Rose Winand, 37, of Boston, who missed last year's rain-drenched classic, was unchallenged as she posted 2:26:32 to take the $1800 winner's check.
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