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Stafford Track Coach Wins Marine Corps Historic Half

by | May 25, 2015 | News

Stephen Harrison, a 26-year-old from Fredericksburg won the eighth Marine Corps Historic Half four minutes ahead of the total field. Photo copyright Robert A. Martin.

By Tami Faram, USMC

The U.S. Marines joined U.S. Congressman Rob Wittman (R-VA) and “NCIS” television star David McCallum in hosting the second-largest Marine Corps Historic Half in its eight year history. There were 6,245 finishers in the half marathon, 821 in the 10K and 711 runners who completed the 5K distance, for a total of 7,777 participating runners.

View the Photo Gallery at this Link

Hometown runner Steven Harrison, 26, finished first place overall, breezing through the 13.1 mile course four minutes ahead of the total field. Harrison finished his first Historic Half run in 1:14:59. “It was a great event, very well organized with lots of people cheering lining the streets and corners of the downtown area,” said Harrison. He is a track coach at at Brooke Point High School in Stafford.

Joining Harrison as a winner in a first Historic Half was Britta Ultz Baxter, 36, of King George, who topped all female participants crossing the finish line at 1:27:33.

Tyler Hilt, 20, arrived all the way from his home in Las Vegas to finish second after Harrison in 1:19:39. Nick Oltman, 27, of Surf City, N.C., completed his run just seconds after in 1:19:50. Oltman, an active duty Marine, not only took the third-place award but also received the BAE Systems-sponsored award for being the top active duty military finisher. BAE presented the top active duty military female finisher award to Amy Peterson, 33, of Dumfries, also an active duty Marine.

Historic 10K winner Aaron Naraine, 16, of Fredericksburg, finished first in that event at 41:18. Anthony Brooks, 18, of Stafford, came in second, completing his Historic 10K run in 42:54, while Steve Neumann, 38, of Alexandria, finished at 43:08, placing third.

The Historic 10K women runners were led by Chelsea Hill, 24, of Richmond, who finished in a flat 45:00. Following Hill in second place was hometown runner Edith Taylor Yonts, 34, who finished in 45:56 and Miho Cunney, 44, of Stafford, who completed her 6.2 mile run in 48:15.

Another 16-year-old took first place in the Semper Fred 5K. Tanner Jacobs of Stafford won the event in 19:43. Kyle Rogers, 24, of King George, finished second, completing the event in 19:58, and the youngest among the top finishers — Nick Willging, 15, also of Fredericksburg — took third place.

Two Fredericksburg sisters took first and third place among the women running the Semper Fred 5K. Gabrielle Martinez, 20, finished first at 21:47 while her sister, Danielle Martinez, 18, arrived just a minute after in 22:47, placing third. Miossi Haviland, 38 of Alexandria placed second, completing her run in 22:35.

The Marine Corps Historic events drew participants from 47 states and nine countries. The popularity of Historic Half also drew hundreds of volunteers, thousands of spectators and miles of performers.

Congressman Wittman officially started the seven wheelchair and hand cyclists participating, while actor David McCallum, known as Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard on the CBS television show “NCIS”, fired the start for the Marine Corps Historic Half.

Additional results are available by visiting www.marinemarathon.com.

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