Lee Stewart, a 26-year
old
history teacher at John
F.
Kennedy High School, was the surprise winner
of the first annual
Guam-San Miguel Marathon.
Stewart, who was expected
to be among the front runners, but not
the victor, covered the rolling
26.2 mile, 385 yard course from Washington High
School to Ypao Beach in 3
hours, 24 minutes, 37 seconds.
Marvin Villines and Bob
Wade, both of Agat, tied for second in
3:32.13.
Joe Lawton, a University of guam teacher who
had been favored because
of his experience in
about 12 previous
marathons, dropped out after
17 miles because of severe
cramps.
Of the field of
12 that
started the race in the pre-
dawn darkness through a driving
rain, only seven
made their way to the finish line. On hand to greet
them at |
the finish line were Fred Wood of San
Miguel Brewing Co., which
sponsored the event,
and officials of the Guam
Running Club. The race was
the first sporting event
ever
held on Guam which
was
sanctioned by the U.S. Amateur
Athletic Union, the organization
which oversees the nation's
participation in Olympic
events.
Bill Cruz, a
16-year old
Kennedy sophomore,
and
Jim Brooks, a 40-year
old lawyer, won the junior
and
senior divisions of the race in
finishing sixth and seventh in
the overall standings.
Scratched: Open division -
Fred Buschong, 21 miles; Joe Lawton, 17
miles; Junior division -
Richard Taitague, 20 miles;
Senior division - Jim Wood,
22 miles; Mick Flynn, 15 miles.
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