Walt Disney World Marathon
Orlando, FL
Sunday, January 6, 2002
British Naval officer Dai
Roberts took charge during the final mile Sunday to win the ninth annual Walt
Disney World Marathon by eight seconds. Roberts, a 40-year-old currently
stationed in Virginia Beach, Va., had a winning time of 2:32:38.
Roberts, who was competing in only his second marathon, began to close on
leader Andrew Greenidge of Coconut Creek, Fla., at mile 20 after defending
champion Chris Teague of Norwood, Mass., fell off the pace. Greenidge's lead
was cut to about 100 yards at mile 24. Roberts finally pulled ahead -- by
approximately 10 yards -- at mile 26. Greenidge, 36, finished second in
2:32:46.
Roberts, who has been running for 22 years, entered his first marathon in
November in Richmond, Va., where he finished first among Masters
participants (age 40 and up).
Ilda Santos, 26, of Sao Paulo, Brazil, defended her Disney Marathon women's
title, taking control of the race in the final three miles to win in 2:48:38. Japan's
Miho Ichikawa, 28, finished a distant second in 2:52:46 after leading for most
of the initial 22 miles. Ichikawa currently resides in Manhattan, Kan., where
husband and fellow runner Hayato Ichikawa is an associate professor at
Kansas State University.
In the half marathon, Gabriel Rodriguez, 23, of Miami won the men's division
by shattering Olympian Keith Brantly's event record by 39 seconds with a
1:09:07. Monica Hostetler, 25, of Kendallville, Ind., won the womens half
marathon in 1:17:34.
In the men's marathon wheelchair division, Olympic 1500-meter champion Saul
Mendoza of Wimberley, Texas, celebrated his 35th birthday by winning a sixth
straight Walt Disney World Marathon championship. In the women's
wheelchair division, Katherine Hunter of Alberta, Canada, won her fifth straight
Disney title and sixth overall.
A record 18,500 runners, walkers and wheelchair athletes entered the 2002
Walt Disney World Marathon and Half Marathon. Both events are among the
10 largest fields at their distance in the U.S.
Date for the 2003 Walt Disney World Marathon and Half Marathon -- the 10th
year for the event -- is Jan. 12, 2003. Registration will begin on March 1, 2002.
