12/09/07

Ambesse Tolosa and Alevtina Biktimirova won today’s 35th Honolulu Marathon, despite having to splash through large puddles and being doused by heavy rains several times during the race.

Tolosa, of Ethiopia, won in the slowest time here in 16 years, pulling away from five-time Honolulu champion Jimmy Muindi of Kenya on the famous climb up Diamond Head Avenue in the 39th kilometer. Muindi was unable to respond, battling nausea throughout the race. Tolosa was clocked in 2:17:26 to Muindi’s 2:18:53.

Biktimirova, of Russia, turned back the challenge of Akemi Ozaki of Japan, running her second marathon in just three weeks. Ozaki was entered in the race primarily to pace her teammate Kaori Yoshida, but decided before the start that she would finish. Ozaki led the race until Biktimirova took the lead past the 30-K point, then scampered home to win by more than a minute in 2:33:07. Ozaki ran 2:34:22, and Yoshida had an off-day, finishing fourth in 2:43:21.

Both Tolosa and Ozaki earned $40,000 in prize money.

Results

MEN
1. Ambesse Tolosa, ETH, 2:17:26 ($40,000 + $1,000 time bonus) 2. Jimmy Muindi, KEN, 2:18:53 ($16,000) 3. Eric Nzioki, KEN, 2:21:32 ($10,000) 4. Boniface Mbuvi, KEN, 2:22:59 ($6,000) 5. Aleksey Aleksandrov, RUS, 2:24:36 (debut/$3,000)