2500 Compete In Habana Marathon

[El Presidente]

I note they have changed it from a Triathlon last year after no one returned from the opening swim leg

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http://www.escambray.cu/Eng/Sport/marabana101122114

More than 2,500 runners from around 73 countries participated Sunday in the 25th International Marathon of Habana, Marabana, in the Cuban capital.

The marathon kicked off at 7:00 a.m. sharp when former triple jumper Lazaro Betancourt rang the start off bell.

Yailen Garcia, from Matanzas, was the first one to reach the finish line covering the 42.195 Km in 2.45.12 hours. Garcia's mark is one of the best registered for the race; the Marabana record is hold by Emperatriz Wilson, also from Cuba (2.43.39).

The long-distance runner told ACN she was very happy with the results since she started training a little late because she had a lesion in one of her knees.

Garcia was followed by Liuris Figuredo (3.14.20 horas), from Granma and Araceli­s Lamoth (3.22.22), from Guantanamo.

The first man to hit the finish line was Livan Luque with 2.28.12 hours, from Havana, followed by Jorge Luis Jimenez (2.31.12) and Yunier Fouman (2.31.45), from Granma.

The half marathon was won by Santiago de Cuba's Dailin Belmonte with 1.18.54 hours and by Norberto Gonzalez (1.07.33).

The winners of the marathon will participate in the upcoming Madrid's Marathon in 2011 where they will try to qualify for Guadalajara's Pan American Games.

[Wil]

I note they have changed it from a Triathlon last year after no one returned from the the opening swim leg