Courtesy: Running USA

Complete results

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Margarita Tapia, 27, of Mexico City set a personal and course record with a time of 2:28:36 in taking home the women's HP Houston Marathon title and qualifying for Mexico's Olympic team. Marek Jaroszewski, 28, of Poland took the men's marathon title with a time of 2:18:51. With a record 14,103 registering for the day's three races and raising a record $600,000-plus for local charities, the day was one for the record books.

Finishing first in the Halliburton International Half Marathon was Gilbert Koech, a Kenyan national training in Albuquerque, N.M. With a time of 1:03:08, Koech came in one second ahead of Dan Browne from Portland, Ore., who was the top U.S. male finisher and earned the $2000 bonus and a cowboy hat - a trophy usually reserved for the top marathoners. "I definitely feel this is a great stepping stone to the U.S. Olympic Trials (men's marathon trials to be held Feb. 7 in Birmingham, Ala.)," said Browne.

Colleen De Reuck of Boulder, Colo., finished first in the women's division of the Halliburton International Half Marathon with a time of 1:10:54 and also took top U.S. finisher bonus money for the women's race.

Saul Mendoza, who currently resides in Wimberly, Tex., and holds the world's second fastest wheelchair marathon time, crossed the finish line in 1:52:27 to win the wheelchair division of the HP Houston Marathon. "The weather was great, and it was a perfect day for the event," said Mendoza, who had a flat tire at mile 5. "The course is very well laid out for wheelchair participants, and this event helps raise awareness for not only marathons but all wheelchair sports."

A record-setting 14,103 athletes signed up to run in the HP Houston Marathon, Halliburton International Half Marathon and Houston Press/METRO 5K - blowing past last year's 11,980 previous record.

Race Director Brant Kotch expressed his appreciation to the more than 5,000 volunteers and quarter of a million spectators who lined the course to support the athletes. "I think Houston has a reputation as an international city with the Port and arts community and this event broadens the city's international influence and diversity," said Kotch. "Every year we increase the level of international appeal for elite marathon runners, and this year's event is a great example of the caliber of athletes the Houston Marathon attracts.

Marek Jaroszewski from Pila, Poland, was cheered on by thousands of spectators as he crossed the finish line. "I feel like Houston is now my city," said Jaroszewski. "This is my second marathon win, but definitely the best event I have seen."

"This is my first time in Houston, but I am proud that I was able to qualify for the 2004 Olympic Games at this race," said Tapia. She trains with Adriana Fernandez, a New York City Marathon champ, who took the Houston title in 1996 .

Mexico Consul General Eduardo Ibarrola, who ran in the Halliburton International Half Marathon, said, "We are very proud of Margarita's performance in today's competition and are pleased that the significant ties between Houston and Mexico were demonstrated at this event," noting that the wheelchair winner was named Mexico's Athlete of the Century in 2000.

Two local contenders won the Houston Press/METRO 5K: Gabriel Rodriguez, 25, of Webster, Tex., and Megan Williams, 17, of The Woodlands, Tex. A prize purse of $64,200 in the HP Houston Marathon and Halliburton International Half Marathon provided additional incentive to the local and national runners and positioned both races as key Olympic-year preparation events. Bonus money also was offered to U.S. citizens competing in the half-marathon.

Margarita Tapia and Marek Jaroszewski, top female and male finishers of the HP Houston Marathon, each won $5000. Colleen De Reuck and Gilbert Koech, top female and male Halliburton International Half Marathon finishers, each received $3000. To support American runners training to represent the U.S. in the 2004 Olympics, bonus money was awarded to the top five American male and female finishers in the half-marathon, with a top bonus of $2,000.

An example of the city's international partnerships is the exchange program with the Athens Classic Marathon in Greece, the birthplace of the sport. For the past 15 years, the Athens- Houston Marathon Exchange Program has sponsored trips to Athens for the top local male and female finishers of the marathon. In exchange, Greek runners visit the U.S. and participate in Houston's largest single-day sporting event. Four local participants qualified as a result of their performance: Sean Wade, last year's HP Houston Marathon winner; Kimberly Hager; Victor Curo; and Elizabeth Byers will run in the Nov. 7, 2004, race - the same course as the 2004 Olympics to be held in August.

Participants in the HP Houston Marathon, the Halliburton International Half Marathon and the Houston Press/METRO 5K were encouraged to "Run for a Reason" and raise money for local Houston charities. The marathon, half-marathon and 5K provided established fund-raising vehicles that allowed all money collected to go directly to the 28 participating non-profits. This year, helped by an online fund-raising tool offered to runners for the first time, "Run for a Reason" set a new record, raising more than $600,000 and bringing the total raised to more than $2.6 million donated in the program's 10 years.

The HP Houston Marathon, a Running USA Founding Member, is the nation's premier winter marathon, annually attracting participants from all 50 U.S. states and nearly 20 foreign countries. The HP Houston Marathon offers the only closed marathon course in Texas and is ranked among the top five in the nation by the Ultimate Guide to Marathons for fastest course, organization and crowd support. More than 5,000 volunteers organize the race, which is Houston's largest single-day sporting event.