Awol Wins SunTrust Richmond Marathon in Photo Finish, Richmonders Smith, Ackerly 1-2 in Women's Race ... Koborsi, Chepkorir NTELOS 8K champions; record event field

RICHMOND, Va. - (November 10, 2007) - With a lunge at the tape, Mohamed Awol, an Ethiopian living in New York City, won the SunTrust Richmond Marathon here on Saturday morning in the most sensational finish in this event's 30-year history.

"It took the most concentration of any marathon I've run," said Awol, 29, who finished the 26.2-mile race in 2 hours, 20 minutes, 20 seconds, the same time as David Cheromei, 28, a Kenyan, living in Lynchburg, VA.

On a cool breezy day with temperatures in the '40s, Awol and Chermoei broke away from the lead pack and ran side-by-side for miles, but it was Awol who claimed the $2500 check for first place. Wesley Chelule, 33, a Kenyan, living in Mobile, Alabama, was third in 2:22:56.

In the women's race, Richmond's Casey Smith, 28, beat last year's SunTrust Richmond Marathon winner Maureen Ackerly by almost four minutes, finishing in 2:44:58.

"I'm ecstatic," said Smith, who qualified for the 2008 U.S. Women's Olympic Marathon Trials in Boston in April. "I've been working so hard for this, and I had some injuries, but I never gave up. The whole Richmond running community has been so supportive - the RVA Runners, the Richmond Road Runners Club - so many people have all been so great."

Ackerly, 38, a Richmond lawyer and mother of two, ran her personal record but fell just short of her goal to qualify for the Olympic Trials in front of her hometown crowd. She finished in 2:48:38, but shy of the 2:47 qualifying time.

"There was a great group of girls out there," said Ackerly, who warmly congratulated Smith at the race's conclusion. "It was a great race to be in. I'm not as disappointed as I thought I'd be."

"She'll have another chance to try for it," said Ben Ackerly, her husband and coach. "She has until March to qualify, so she still has time."

Elena Paramonova, a Russian living in Florida, was third in 2:51:11.

Several runners known as the "Old Lions" were feted for their participation in each of the 30 Richmond Marathons. Wertenbaker Turner, 60, of Charlottesville, VA; Garland Carlton, Jr., 66, of Midlothian, VA; John Deeter, 64, of Richmond; John Loughran, 62, of Sandston, VA and Philip Gibrall, 57, of Richmond were given a special start and media attention and crowd recognition at the finish to commemorate their accomplishment.

In the NTELOS 8K men's race, Rod Koborsi, 24, of Washington, DC, was first, ahead of Abiyot Endane, 21, an Ethiopian friend of Awol's who also lives in New York, 22:41 to 22:49. Samuel Kosgei, 21, a Kenyan living in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was third (22:55).

Caroline Chepkorir, 20, a Kenyan living in Boyersford, PA, won the women's 8K in 26:20 with Julie Culley, 26, of Arlington, VA, second (26:53) and Maria Busienei, 22, a Kenyan living in Charleston, WV, third (27:29).

In addition to the athletic drama of its 30th edition, the SunTrust Richmond Marathon smashed registration records for both the marathon and the NTELOS 8K with 5,109 entries in the marathon and 6,006 entries in the 8K. The Richmond Times-Dispatch Kids Run drew 627 entries. And next year's addition of a half-marathon as part of the event promises even larger numbers.

30th SunTrust Richmond Marathon
Richmond, VA, Saturday, November 10, 2007

MEN
1) Mohamed Awol (ETH), 2:20:20, $2500
2) David Cheromei (KEN), 2:20:20, $1500
3) Wesley Chelule (KEN), 2:22:56, $750
4) Ezekiel Ruto (KEN), 2:24:46, $500
5) Steven Mance (USA / VA), 2:26:57, $250

MASTERS MEN (40+)
1) Matt Richards, 40, USA / VA, 2:37:10, $250

WOMEN
1) Casey Smith (USA / VA), 2:44:58, $2500
2) Maureen Ackerly (USA / VA), 2:48:38, $1500
3) Elena Paramonova (RUS), 2:51:11, $750
4) Johanna Allen (USA / VA), 2:52:33, $500
5) Mindy Sawtelle (USA / PA), 2:52:59, $250

MASTERS WOMEN (40+)
1) Beverly Anderson-Abbs, 43, USA / CA, 2:56:18, $250
2) Tammy Slusser, 46, USA / PA, 2:58:14, $150

18th NTELOS 8K
MEN
1) Rod Koborsi (USA / DC), 22:41, $1000
2) Abiyot Endane (ETH), 22:49, $500
3) Samuel Kosgei (KEN), 22:55, $250
4) Ryan Warrenburg (USA / NC), 22:56, $150
5) Jonathan Pierce (USA / NC), 22:58, $100

MASTERS MEN (40+)
1) John Hinton, 45, USA / NC, 26:14, $250

WOMEN
1) Caroline Chepkorir (KEN), 26:20, $1000
2) Julie Culley (USA / VA), 26:53, $500
3) Maria Busienei (KEN), 27:29, $250
4) Kristina Roth (USA / NC), 27:31, $150
5) Alicia Voltin (USA / NC), 28:04, $100

MASTERS WOMEN (40+)
1) Andrea Wright, 46, USA / VA, 30:11, $250