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No One Challenges Kraft

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By JEFFREY JONES

Tribune correspondent

Published: March 1, 2009

TAMPA - The wet and windy conditions during Sunday's Publix Super Markets Gasparilla Marathon seemed to hinder the majority of the runners during the race. But for professional triathlete Nina Kraft of Germany, it was more like a warm-up for the grueling competitions that are ahead of her.

"I think the race is good training for the upcoming Ironman races," said Kraft, winner of 2007 Ironman races in Florida and Brazil. "I also tried to get some money."

Kraft, 40, won in 2 hours, 47 minutes, 40 seconds to earn the overall women's purse of $1,500. She was also the fourth finisher overall among men and women.

"I don't think the wind was that bad," Kraft said, referring to the weather. "I'm from Germany so this wasn't much."

Kraft is from Braunschweig and has been competing as a pro about 10 years. In 2004, she received a two-year ban from the German triathlon federation following her positive drug test and admission to using erythropoietin before the 2004 Ironman Triathlon World event.

Kraft has since served the suspension and has lived in the United States for a year. She resides in Clermont, home of the USA Triathlon National Training Center.

Kraft began her 2009 training regimen by winning the Tallahassee Marathon, where she ran a personal best of 2:45:06. Although she was off that pace Sunday, she believes she can continue to improve with age.

"I think I get better and better with each race," Kraft said. "The marathons are good training in order to keep up the speed."

Last year's women's marathon champ, St. Petersburg's Melanie Peters, 25, finished second Sunday in 3:00:19. As top Floridian, she earned $3,000. Taking third and $2,000 as second Floridian was Jacksonville's Shannon Miller, 24, in 3:04:10. Treasure Island's Madeleine Zolfo, 44, won $1,000 as the third Florida finisher (3:14:02).

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