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Lightning near the start line caused a weather delay. Participants of start waves M and later were held for approximately 40 minutes and told to take shelter until the lightning passed.
“Despite soggy conditions and a short interruption to the event, we still experienced the celebratory feel we’ve come to expect at the AJC Peachtree Road Race. This tradition is a great way to mark our nation’s independence, and our participants were still smiling as they crossed the finish line,” said Rich Kenah, Atlanta Track Club’s executive director. “I couldn’t be more proud of Atlanta Track Club’s staff and volunteers as well as the City of Atlanta, the Atlanta Police Department and the Atlanta Fire Department. Without their hard work, we could not have had a safe event under these tough conditions.”
The 46th running of the AJC Peachtree Road Race was dubbed the “Year of the Team”. The inaugural Peachtree Cup featured an international elite team competition with Team USA taking on all-star teams from Africa, Europe and Asia. Four international teams of six top athletes, including three men and three women, raced the clock and each other, to secure international bragging rights and a first-place prize of $42,000.
After a back-and-forth battle with Team USA, Team Africa was named champion of the Peachtree Cup. Team Africa’s Daniel Salel broke the tape in 28:43, two seconds before Team USA’s Tyler Pennel, and the African women outperformed the other ladies to seal the team’s victory for a cumulative finish of 3:06:29. The team was comprised of team captain Gebre Gebremariam, Lusapho April, Buze Diriba, Caroline Kilel, Valentine Kibet and Salel.
Additionally, the second Kilometer Kids Charity Chase matched up our nation’s military branches in a two-part competition. In partnership with United Military Care, Team Air Force, Team Army, Team Coast Guard, Team Marine Corps, Team National Guard and Team Navy competed for bragging rights in two areas: The fastest military branch and the team that receives the most donations for Atlanta Track Club’s Kilometer Kids youth running program through an online fundraiser.
Team Army crossed the line first with a commanding lead to win the footrace portion of the Kilometer Kids Charity Chase. Staff Sergeant David Seymour finished first for his team in 37:47, while Team Army’s cumulative time was 4:36:44.
At last check, Team Marine Corps was in the lead for the online fundraising portion of the Kilometer Kids Charity Chase with 21% of the donations. All proceeds will go towards expanding the reach and accessibility of the Kilometer Kids program in metro Atlanta as part of a continued effort to encourage young people to achieve health and fitness through running. A portion of the funds raised will go towards starting a Kilometer Kids program at Fort Benning in Columbus, Ga., in the fall of 2015, the first one to be established on a military base. Donations are still being accepted at charitychaseforkids.org.
The men’s main race at the 2015 AJC Peachtree Road Race came down to an exciting photo finish. Scott Overall (Great Britain) finished in 29:30, 9/100 of a second in front of Ben Payne, earning the 32 year old Overall the title of AJC Peachtree Road Race champion. For the women, Alexi Pappas (Eugene, OR) broke the tape in 33:28.
The Shepherd Center Wheelchair Division of the AJC Peachtree Road Race crowned a five-time champion. Tatyana McFadden (Clarksville, MD) finished in 23:57, giving her back-to-back wins. Kurt Fearnley (Australia) won it for the men in 20:55. The Wheelchair Division also featured a team with the USA taking on The World. The top two times for the top open men, open women and open quad races were added together; Team USA brought home the win on this Fourth of July.
The unveiling of the winning design of the 2015 AJC Peachtree Road Race T-shirt was a bright spot during a gray morning. Tina Tait’s “Americana” won the public vote, which paid tribute to Tait’s love of folk art, old Americana and the AJC Peachtree Road Race. Shortly after she crossed the finish line herself, the shirt was revealed to Tait.
For more information, visit peachtreeroadrace.org
