Smoke Takes Five of Top 20 at Steamboat; Korir Wins Individual Title

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. -- For the fourth year in a row, a Kenyan has won the Steamboat Classic. Jon Korir took first place in the 33rd annual race, out of an extremely talented field of 2,800. Korir's time of 18:16 bettered the Trolley Run's downhill course time by twenty seconds this year.

Korir made his move about half way through the race surging against John Yuda of Tanzania.  Korir would eventually open a decent lead, finishing ahead of the Hanson's Josh Mowen, with Yuda taking third.

The Kansas City Smoke, a USA Track & Field Elite Development Club, looked to be the story of the day. All five Kansas City athletes finished in the top 20. Derek Tate, was the top finisher for the Smoke, followed by Olympic qualifier Eric Heins, Rikki Hacker of JCCC, Misgina Kifleyesus, and Jon Little who finished in the top 25 at Boston this year.

(Pictured above, left to right: Kifleyesus, Tate, Little, Hacker and Heins)

"Our guys got into town a bit late, and conditions were hot and humid!" said Shawn Love, Director of the Smoke. "That being said, it was a great follow up to our sixth place finish at the US Relay Championships in Denver last month."

The Smoke will next compete at the Philadelphia Half Marathon on September 16, before trying to qualify a record seven athletes for the 2008 Olympic Trials at the Chicago Marathon in October.

About The Kansas City Smoke
The Kansas City Smoke is based in Overland Park, Kansas. Formed in 2002, the purpose of the nonprofit training center is to improve post-collegiate American distance running and to develop Olympians. The Smoke have finished third in the National Club Track & Field Championships, two of the past three years. They are supported by the Missouri Valley Association of USATF, and Velocity Sports of Lenexa, KS.
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Contact:
Shawn Love
816-858-3814
shawnloveusatf@aol.com