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Holassie Gallops to Victory In Tampa Marathon

News Channel 8 image by CHRIS HODGES

Ronnie Holassie, a former groom at Tampa Bay Downs, raised his arms in triumph as crossed the finish line first in this morning's Bank of America Marathon.

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TBO.com

Published: February 10, 2008

TAMPA - TAMPA - Hollywood's Ronnie Holassie also posted a wire-to-wire performance to win himself $6,000 at Sunday's Tampa Gasparilla Marathon presented by Publix Super Markets. Holassie, 36, covered the 26.2-mile course through Tampa in 2 hours, 22 minutes and 23 seconds. The time bonus he met was running faster than 2:30.

The second-place men's finisher, 27-year-old Bob Adams of Knoxville, Tenn., was nearly 17 minutes behind Holassie while third place went to 48-year-old Phillip Walkins of Coral Springs. Walkins, a teacher and coach, won $2,000 as the second Florida finisher in 2:39:47, Former USF runner Ryan Thomas was third Floridian ($1,000) in 2:41:13.

St. Petersburg's Melanie Peters earned herself a berth in the U.S. Olympic Women's Marathon Trials with her winning time.

Just last month, Peters, 24, missed the trials' "B" standard of 2 hours, 47 minutes went she won the women's division of the Disney Marathon in 2:47:29. In Sunday's almost ideal conditions in Tampa, she led from start to finish and achieved the standard when she crossed the finish line in 2:46:45.

For her efforts, Peters won $6,000; $3,000 for being the top female from Florida, $1,500 for being the overall winner and another $1,500 for meeting the time bonus of 2:55 or faster. The women's marathon trials are April 20 in Boston.

Jacksonville's Kim Pawlek, who has already qualified for the trials, took second place and $2,000 in 2:55:40.

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