Julius Keter used momentum from his run by the Inner Harbor to propel him to victory at the Baltimore Marathon in record fashion on Saturday.
Keter, 19, set event and state marathon records by completing the 26.2-mile race in 2:11:56, easily surpassing the previous mark of 2:14:51 set by fellow Kenyan John Itati in 2004.
“I feel so good,” said Keter, who earned a first-place check of $18,000. “I didn’t feel tired.”
Keter expanded his 30-second advantage to 1:10 when he ran through the Inner Harbor between the 13- and 14-mile markers. But it wasn’t until the 24-mile marker on the descent down Howard Street when he secured the victory.
He credited second-place finisher, his friend and countryman Tekeste Kebede, 27, with pushing him throughout the race and leaving a pack of runners behind after a blistering start. Kebede earned $10,000 for finishing second in 2:13, and Itati, who won last year’s race, placed 10th in 2:22:26.
The lead pace was under five minutes a mile from mile three to mile 15.
Keter won the Mexico City Marathon — at an altitude of 8,000 feet — in 2:14 on Aug. 17.
“It was a high-altitude marathon,” Keter said. “It’s the highest-altitude marathon in the world. It helped me.”
After Saturday’s win, several race officials were predicting a big future for the teenager. His time broke the state record of 2:13:46, set by Garry Bjorkland in the 1977 Maryland Marathon – the precursor to the Baltimore Marathon.
Maria Portilla of Peru won the women’s marathon in 2:36:32 — just short of the Peruvian world record of 3:35:19, which she set at the Beijing Olympics this summer.
“After the half-mile point, I started to push hard,” Portilla said, adding she began to pull away around the 20-mile mark.
Portilla, 35, finished second in the 2006 Baltimore Marathon (2:36:23) and fifth last year (2:39:55).
“I was waiting a long time,” Portilla, who also earned $18,000, said with a laugh. “I’m so happy.”
Caroline Chepkorir placed second in 2:41:48.
The event drew a record 17,500-plus competitors who competed in the marathon, half-marathon, 5K and team relay marathon.
“The five top marathons in the world are Chicago, New York, Boston, London and Berlin. Then there’s everybody else,” said Clay Shaw, the marathon’s elite athlete coordinator “We want to be at the top of everybody else.”
Running Festival Results
MARATHON
MEN
1. Julius Keter, 2:11:56
2. Tekeste Kebede, 2:13:00
3. Christopher Kipkering, 2:13:44
4. Joseph Mutinda, 2:14:20
5. Nicholas Kiprono, 2:17:15
6. Mohammed Awol, 2:18:39
7. Jacob Kendagor, 2:20:50
8. Francis Kibii, 2:21:18
9. Abebe Halefom, 2:22:00
10. John Itati, 2:22:26
WOMEN
1. Maria Portilla, 2:36:32
2. Caroline Chepkorir, 2:41:48
3. Rachel Kinsman, 2:44:31
4. Kimberley Flowers, 2:46:02
5. Muluye Gurma, 2:46:37
6. Tatiana Titova, 2:48:48
7. Yunilesh Delelecha, 2:51:18
8. Abera Hirut, 2:51:32
9. Christine Ramsey*, 2:58:41
10. Lee Dipietro*, 3:02:18
HALF-MARATHON
MEN
1. Girma Tolla, 1:04:23
2. Ezkyas Sisay, 1:10:46
3. Benjamin Ingram*, 1:14:44
4. Timothy Cooper, 1:16:52
5. John Urban*, 1:17:15
6. Nathan Coleman*, 1:17:25
7. Christopher Martin, 1:17:38
8. Chris Johnson, 1:17:47
9. Michael Elabarger, 1:17:55
10. Andre Laboy*, 1:18:00
WOMEN
1. Yelena Orlova, 1:05:24
2. Belainesh Gebre, 1:13:14
3. Buzunesh Deba, 1:16:56
4. Phebe Ko*, 1:18:10
5. Abby Dean, 1:23:07
6. Melanie Schorr*, 1:26:51
7. Diane Kenna, 1:28:23
8. Terri Cook, 1:28:44
9. Katherine Laessig, 1:28:55
10. Laura Dimarino, 1:29:00
5K
MEN
1. Abiyot Zere Yohanes*, 13:53
2. Steve Hallinan, 13:54
3. Devin Swann, 13:56
4. Abyiot Endale, 14:01
5. Ryan Woods, 14:13
6. Jay Dolmage, 14:23
7. Paul Zwama*, 14:57
8. Carlos Renjifo*, 15:01
9. Matt Roberson, 15:32
10. Neville Anderson*, 16:34
WOMEN
1. Julie Culley, 15:34
2. Hirut Mandefro*, 16:13
3. Laura Swann, 16:52
4. Julia Rudd, 17:24
5. Heidi Swarts*, 17:49
6. Katie Schettig*, 18:16
7. Holly Urban, 18:35
8. Rosalind Sheppard*, 18:38
9. Nelly Anderson, 18:47
10. Pat Wilkerson*, 19:28
* Maryland resident
