Jacob Chemtai, 25, a Kenyan now based in Santa Fe, N. Mex., and Degefa Biruktayit Eshetu, 24, of Ethiopia were the men’s and women’s winners as the marathoners took over the streets of Eugene, Ore., the Track Capital of America, Sun., July 27.
Chemtai ran 2:16:07 to win by only 12 seconds over Teklu Deneke, 35, of Ethiopia, who was the runner-up in 2:16:19.
Rudy Gilman, 28, of Silverton, Ore., was the first American, finishing third in 2:25:22.
Eshetu won the women’s race by almost eight minutes as she ran 2:33:15 to outdistance her countrywoman Yado Elfneshe Melaku, 25, who was second in 2:41:12, and Lauren Johnson, 27, of Portland, Ore., the third-place finisher in 2:41:25.
A particularly impressive performance in the women’s race was the fourth-place finish by Molly Friel of Fresno, Calif., who ran 2:44:59 – at age 46!
With less than 1500 finishers, the Eugene Marathon isn’t one of the largest marathons in the country, but it is one of the flattest and the prettiest. It runs through or beside no fewer than 12 city parks, and it finishes on the track at hallowed Hayward Field!
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