ST. GEORGE – This morning Bryant Jensen won gold at the St. George Marathon and set a new course record, making history in the 37th annual race.
More than 7,500 contestants took off from Central at around 6:40, with a chilly tailwind blowing them on their way to St. George.
Thirty-year-old Bryant Jensen from Ogden took home the gold medal today with a time of 2:15:57, establishing a new course record for the St. George Marathon.
“I was just feeling good and kept rolling,” said Jensen, who has been running marathons since he graduated from Weber State in 2009. The newly married athlete was happy with his performance. He said he wasn’t aiming to set a course record when he started this morning. “I got married two weeks ago, which was really exciting to win a race for my new wife. I just wanted to do my best today.”
Fritz Van de Kamp was second among the men. The 2012 champion finished with a time of 2:20:25, nearly a minute faster than last year’s winning time of 2:21:14. Jonathan Kotter, a 28-year-old from Salt Lake City, was third with a time of 2:24:49.
Rosy Lee, 37, of Mountain Green, Utah, placed first for the women and almost set a new course record, coming in at 2:37:04. She missed the all-time record by just under a minute.
“That really is the best I have felt in a marathon since I was 23,” Lee said.
The veteran runner said it felt much better than 2 years ago when she won. Today was the first marathon Lee has run since having her daughter nine months ago.
Amber Green, a 32-year-old local runner and women’s defending champion, came in second with a time of 2:40:03. She said she was aiming for 2:39:00, but that she was happy with her time because it was a personal best.
“I am super thrilled with today,” she said, “I couldn’t ask for more.”
Green was motivated by running for her city. “Every time, I want to win because I love St. George so much,” she said.
Emily Jameson of Taylorsville, was third among the women, completing the 26.2-mile course in 2:40:35.
Another local, Aaron Metler, came in sixth for the men with a time of 2:22:29.
Runners wearing “Booyah for Braydon” jerseys competed this morning in memory of Braydon Nielsen, who passed away in September after being hit by a car while he was biking.
“It’s just a great cause to run for,” John Beckstrand said. “Braydon was an incredible guy, a friend to everybody.”
Beckstrand made it a point of running with a positive attitude.
“I tried to keep a smile on my face the whole way and high-five all the way because that is something he would have done,” Beckstrand said.
The top under-14 youth competitor was Danny Ross of Roosevelt. The 11-year-old finished with a time of 3:38:34.
The oldest competitor was Edward Salkin from Corona Del Mar, Calif. The 81-year old completed the race in 6:10:54.
Mary Young won the women’s 70-74 category. The 70-year-old finished in 4:58:57.
Nathan Crowton, from Salt Lake City, was the wheelchair division winner at 2:08:14. Jerry Young, from Providence, Utah, won the handcrank division at 1:01:36.
For full race results, see the St. George Marathon website results section here.
Related posts
- 2013 St. George Marathon Photo Gallery
- SG Marathon Awards
- SG Marathon Record Book
- Bob Horlacher Memorial
- Marathon Rundown
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @oldschoolag
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2013, all rights reserved.