Grandma's Marathon 2021: Kenya's Rotich, Minnesota's Lindwurm win elite marathon titles
Jun. 19—Eagan's Dakotah Lindwurm became the first Minnesota woman to win Grandma's Marathon since 1987, winning the women's elite title on Saturday in 2 hours, 29 minutes, 4 seconds.
The time of the 26-year-old Lindwurm is the fastest for a Minnesota woman at Grandma's, topping the time of 2:33:01 put down by Jennifer Houck in 2011. Lindwurm almost beat Houck's time in 2019 when she finished fourth in 2:34:02.
Janis Klecker was the previous Minnesota woman to win Grandma's in 1987 with a time of 2:36:12.
Rotich holds off Albertson for men's title
Kenya's Milton Rotich beat out C.J. Albertson of Fresno, California, on Saturday to win the 45th running of Grandma's Marathon.
Rotich, 31, crossed the finish line in Canal Park in 2 hours, 13 minutes, 4 seconds, or 85 seconds ahead of the 27-year-old Albertson.
Rotich and Albertson were among a three-person group at the race's halfway point at 1:06:00 along with Tyler Jermann, who finished fourth in 2:16:42. Joseph Whelan finished third in 2:16:25.
This was Rotich's second Grandma's Marathon. He finished sixth in 2017 in 2:16:16. He ran the half marathon in 2018 and finished fifth in 1:03:58.
Smith wins wheelchair division
Johnboy Smith was the first from the men's wheelchair division to cross the finish line of the 45th Grandma's Marathon on Saturday.
Smith, 31, of the United Kingdom crossed the finish line in Duluth's Canal Park in 1 hours, 25 minutes, 45 seconds, having broken away from the rest of the field.
Herman Garic, 31, of Utica, New York, finished second 4:33:00 back and Callum Hall, 29, of the U.K. was third in 1:30:27.
Hrezi, Centner are unofficial winners in half marathon
Mohamed Hrezi of Philadelphia was the first runner to cross the finish line in Duluth's Canal Park on Saturday morning, completing the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon in 1:04:14. Ann Centner, 29, of Tallahassee, Florida, was the first woman to finish the half marathon in 1:14:23.
Hrezi and Centner are the unofficial winners at this point. The official winner of the half marathon will not be known until later in the morning as this year's race featured a staggered, wave start and was chip timed. Half marathon runners remain out on the course.
For Hrezi, 29, this was his first competitive road race in six months. He said it was nice to see so many people not only out running on the course, by lining the finish line cheering the runners as they came across.
"It was a good effort, it was a good crown, it felt nice," Hrezi said. "A lot of kids, a lot of people out this morning. They got excited to see someone coming down."
The half marathon began Saturday morning at 6 a.m. with Hrezi crossing just after 7 a.m.
This story was updated multiple times June 19 with race results. It was originally posted at 7:45 a.m. June 19.
