Richmond Marathon Results: Keira D'Amato Sets New 8k Course Record
Richmond-based pro runner Keira D’Amato sets new course record in women’s 8k
RICHMOND, VA – The 2021 VCU Health Richmond Marathon, CarMax Richmond Half Marathon, and Allianz Partners 8k celebrated a return to the traditional event format in downtown Richmond with a course record in the first race of the day. Richmond’s own Keira D’Amato was the first female finisher in the Allianz Partners 8k, setting a new course record in the process with a time of 24:47. The previous record was 24:53, set by Alice Kamunya in 2013. Susanna Sullivan of Reston, Va., finished second in a time of 26:17, followed by Allison Kelley of Charlottesville, Va., in 27:57.
On the men’s side of the 8k, Jason Weitzel of Greenville, S.C., finished first in 23:06. He was followed by Matthew McClintock of Blowing Rock, N.C., in 23:14, and Jahanzib Shahbaz of Lexington, Va., in 23:43.
In the day’s second race, the CarMax Richmond Half Marathon, Michael Babinec of Durham, N.C., was the first male finisher across the line with a time of 1:06:54. Harrison Toney of Richmond, Va., was second in 1:07:33, and Chris Sloane of Rockville, Md., came in third with a time of 1:07:52. On the women’s side, Annmarie Tuxbury was the top finisher. Tuxbury, of Barkhamsted, Conn., finished in a time of 1:14:06. She was followed by Laura Labuschaigne of Henrico, Va., in a time of 1:14:54, and Claire Benjamin of Louisville, Colo., in a time of 1:15:59.
In the final race of the day, the VCU Health Richmond Marathon, Ryan Mills of Raleigh, N.C., was the top male finisher, coming in ahead of Matt Lunceford Blivin and Jacob Rutz, both of Durham, N.C. Mills finished in a time of 2:28:49 while Lunceford Blivin finished in 2:30:25 and Rutz came in at 2:31:04. Caroline Hentzen of Charlottesville, Va., was the first female finisher with a time of 2:45:20. Silvia Baage of Rockville, Md., was second in 2:47:58, and Sophia King of Chesterfield, Va., was third with a time of 2:49:02.
Event Returned to Traditional Format in Downtown Richmond
All three races returned to downtown Richmond after a hybrid format in November 2020 that featured marked and measured courses in Dorey Park and the Virginia Capital Trail, just east of Richmond, that were open for 16 consecutive days of running. The 2021 event also included the second edition of the Richmond Challenge, in which participants took part in one race distance in person and have the month of November to complete the other two distances virtually. Nearly 100 runners are registered for the 2021 Richmond Challenge.
Over 14,000 runners took part in all three races combined, and tens of thousands more spectators lined the streets to cheer on runners as they made their way to the riverfront finish in downtown Richmond.
The ninth-annual Marathon, Jr., a kids-only running event tied to the VCU Health Richmond Marathon, was held on October 30th. Over 200 children ages 4-14 participated in the event, which took place at a new location on the track at Sports Backers Stadium and included a unique opportunity to run on the outfield of the Diamond, home of the Richmond Flying Squirrels baseball team.
Special Registration Entry Fees Available for 2022 Event
The 2022 VCU Health Richmond Marathon is scheduled for Saturday, November 12. A special $80 marathon entry fee, $70 half marathon entry fee, and $30 8k entry fee is available starting Sunday, November 14, at 12 p.m. and continuing through Thursday, November 18. For more information and full results, please visit www.richmondmarathon.org.
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