by John Welch

Over 1,800 runners at the November 11 San Antonio Marathon of the Americas found it difficult to match the one-two punch delivered by overall winners Sergey Karasev and Albina Gallyamova of St. Petersburg, Russia. Both made it look relatively easy in winning their respective mens and womens divisions and the $1,500 prize purses, which went with the race. Karasev had raced in this marathon on two previous occasions, and had recorded a fourth place finish in both outings.

Karasev, who like Gallyamova, lives and trains in Austin, bided his time till just past the 19-mile mark to put the race away for good. Only some hills on a new section of the route and an errant freight train kept the Russian from approaching his personal best time of 2:17:50.

Karasev had to settle for a time of 2:28:11, some five minutes ahead of early leader Agustin Hernandez of Dallas, who finished second in 2:33:31.

Gallyamova, who had to run down early leader Liza Hunter-Galvan a third of the way through the race, cruised to the finish line with a big lead in 2:50:17. Hunter-Galvan, who had captured the event in 1995 and in 1998, held on to finish second 2:56:33.

Eduardo Garcia-Dunna was seventh overall and the top mens master in 2:37:17, while Kathy Misiti of Round Rock was the women's masters winner at 3:26:38.

Another 400 competed in the Mayor's 5K Fitness Challenge. Mike Franko of Pflugerville was the mens winner in 15:15, with Katherine Newberry getting the womens crown at 16:59.

But perhaps the most notable milestone in the event was Marino De Leon's 21st completion of the race in 4:49:11. De Leon, a 60- year-old professor at San Antonio College, started running the event in 1979, and has only missed two San Antonio Marathons.