Deena Kastor running in the 2005 Shamrock Shuffle 8km (© Erroll Anderson - Photo Run)
Olympic Marathon bronze medallist Deena Kastor in an American 8K best of 24:36 took the women’s division in yesterday’s LaSalle Bank Shamrock Shuffle in Chicago, USA, which had attracted a field of 22,500 runners.
With very little wind and a fast course, Kastor said she knew she was in shape and went for it, smashing the previous mark of 25:02, set by Lynn Jennings in 1991. It was the world’s second-fastest ever 8km run by a woman, exceeded only by Morocco's Asmae Leghzaoui who ran 24:28 in 2002.
This year’s Shamrock Shuffle turned into a solo run for Kastor who by three miles was more than 100 yards in front of her opponents and 22 seconds ahead of schedule to break Jennings’ time.
"I felt great. I felt wonderful," said Kastor, 32, who ran 25:05 last week at the U.S. Championship 8km in New York. "I knew that after my run in New York, when conditions weren't ideal and the way my training has been going, that if conditions were good, I would go for the American record in Chicago. All week, conditions (in Chicago) were terrible. There were tornado warnings, rain, high winds, and then this morning, I awoke to almost perfect conditions."
Tatyana Petrova of Russia who had attempted to stay with Kastor in the opening miles finished a distant second in 25:31, while Britain’s Kathy Butler placed third in 25:35, out sprinting USA’s Katie McGregor who finished in 25:36.
In the men's category, Brian Sell of USA successfully defended his title (23:17) but the shock of the race came at about 4.3 miles, when Khalid Khannouchi, 33, formerly the world’s fastest marathon runner, surprisingly dropped out of the race (no reason as yet known).
RESULTS
Top Male Finishers
1. Brian Sell 23:17
2. Biegala Leszek 23:19
3. Clint Verran 23:29
4. Robert Gary 23:39
5. Fasil Bizuneh 23:44
6. Clint Wells 23:49
7. Trent Briney 23:51
8. Nick Allen 24:07
Top Female Finishers
1. Deena Kastor 24:36
2. Tatyana Petrova RUS 25:31
3. Kathy Butler GBR 25:35
4. Katie McGregor 25:36
5. Elva Dryer 25:46
6. Tatyana Chulakh RUS 26:22
7. Collette Liss 26:34
8. Jenelle Deatherage 26:41
Click here for FULL RESULTS http://www.shamrockshuffle.com
