Thomas Omwenga Wins 2008 BMO Bank of Montreal Vancouver Marathon for Second Year in a Row

By Vancouver International Marathon Society (May 04, 2008)

80-year old female runner from North Vancouver breaks world record for her age

 

VANCOUVER, BC, May 4, 2008 – The 37^th annual running of the BMO Bank of Montreal Vancouver Marathon took place under sunny skies this year. There were 12,815 triumphant runners, walkers and wheelchair participants in the full, half, team relay, 8km and kids marathon races from 35 countries.

 

Thomas Omwenga, originally from Kenya, who trains in Florida, won the full marathon for men for the second year in a row, beating his 2007 time by 9:64.  The 2008 female marathon winner, Mary Akor, from California won with a time of 2:37.54.  Last year’s female full marathon winner, Claudia Camargo of Connecticut, came in second this year.

 

Bettyjean McHugh from North Vancouver, BC, at 80 years old had a time of 2:04:19 in the 21km half marathon, setting a world record for her age. The previous record was 2:23:54. This is her 13^th single age category world record.

 

The BMO Vancouver Marathon took participants along a scenic 42 km route that included False Creek, the Seawall, Stanley Park, and across the Burrard Street Bridge, through Kitsilano and Point Grey to the finish line at BC Place Stadium. In 1972, with just 72 runners, the original course was comprised of just five loops around Stanley Park.

 

BMO Bank of Montreal Vancouver Marathon 2008 Results:

 

Full Marathon Male

1^st – Thomas Omwenga, FL, 2:15:59

2^nd – Yator Erick Cheboi, Kenya, 2:19:52

3^rd – Habtamu Negassa, NY, 2:21:46

 

Full Marathon Female

1^st – Mary Akor, CA, 2:37:54

2^nd – Claudia Camargo, CT, 2:54:53

3^rd – Ellie Greenwood, BC, 2:55:28

 

Top Canadian - Full Marathon Male

1^st – Predrag Mladenovic, Toronto, ON, 2:27:33

2^nd - Royd Burkart, Courtenay, BC, 2:36:09

3^rd - Simon Driver, Vancouver, BC, 2:40:01

 

Top Canadian - Full Marathon Female

1^st – Ellie Greenwood, Vancouver, BC, 2:55:28

2^nd - Susanne Russell, Vancouver, BC, 3:03:42

3^rd - Kari Elliott, Calgary, AB, 3:05:15

 

Half Marathon Male

1^st – James Finlayson, Victoria, BC, 1:07:27

2^nd – Todd Howard, Victoria, BC, 1:07:45

3^rd – Orinthal Striggles, Augusta, GA, 1:09:31

 

Half Marathon Female

1^st - Cheryl Murphy, Victoria, BC, 1:15:58

2^nd - Suzanne Evans, New Westminster, BC, 1:18:55

3^rd - Kristina Rody, Whistler, BC, 1:19:21