Dulce María Rodríguez became the first Mexican to run a sub 2:30 marathon on home soil (2:29:00) to win the 17th Lala Marathon in the city of Torreón, state of Coahuila (6 March).
The 32-year old improved her personal best by over two minutes and a half (2:31:45 from 2001) to earn a slot in the national team for the World Championships in Helsinki, Finland, August 6-14.
Rodríguez broke Adriana Fernandez' course record of 2:30:30, when the 1999 New York Marathon winner beat her by over a minute in 2001. Margaret Toroitich (2:31:23), Adriana Fernandez (2:34:31) followed her home.
"I was luckier than last year. I followed the pace I planned and I just kept it up. Now I have to train harder to achieve a good performance in Helsinki", said Rodríguez, who pocketed 485.000 Mexican pesos (approx. U$ 43.000) for her efforts.
Her time is the second fastest ever on Mexican and Latin American soil, just 11 seconds slower than Polish Dorota Gruca's 2:28:49 win in Mazatlan last November.
In the men's race, George Okworo continued Kenya's dominance with a 2:11:47, after a solo run in the last 10km. He was followed by Ethiopia's Robel Tafere (2:14:30), Mexico's 2004 Mazatlan marathon winner Juan G. Vargas (2:16:01), Kenyans Christopher Toroitich (2:16:33), Eliud Keiring (2:17:12), Kipkemoi Cheruiyot (2:17:27), local Alfredo Gómez (2:17:31) and another Kenyan, Josphat Ongeri (2:17:58).
