Detroit, MI – The Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Bank Marathon once again dodged the rain and snow for a sunny but windy day. Battling the gusting winds Keyna's Josephat Ongeri won the 2006 Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Bank Marathon, holding off Belarus' Andrei Gordeev the 2005 champion by 4 seconds. Gordeev collapsed from exhaustion right after he finished and had to be helped from the finish line, but he was fine a short time later, Ongeri ran 2:18:22 to Gordeev's 2:18:26. The 2005 runner-up Jim Jurcevich of the Columbus Running Company finished 3 rd in 2:19:51, Kenya's Hillary Kimaiyo was 4 th in 2:20:37 and Ashland University Cross Country Coach Nick Cordes finished 5 th in 2:21:29. Nick also qualified for the 2008 US Olympic Trials Marathon which will be held in New York City next fall. Jurcevich's comments on the course “It was windy, but wasn't as cold as I thought which was nice. We would run 5:00 with the wind to our back and 5:30 into the wind.” Jim was able to pass Kimaiyo in the last mile to take over 3 rd , even though he said “It was rough the last couple of miles.” Nick mentioned he ran a lot of the race by himself and by the last 4 miles the wind took its toll. Nick said he “went from 5:20/5:15 pace to about 5:50 pace.” When asked about his race, he said, “I'm happy I didn't think I was going to get a qualifier.”

On the women's side Russia's Elena Orlova who was almost 90 seconds behind at the half way point, made that up and more to become the 2006 Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Bank Marathon women's champion. Orlova finished in 2:41:26 to beat the 2005 Women's champion Wioletta Kryza, Poland, who ran 2:43:48. Ashland University's Women's Cross Country Coach Leigh Daniel repeated her 2004 performance here by placing 3 rd again in 2006. Reading's Sarah Hinkley making her debut marathon placed 4 th in 2:53:33 and was the first Michigan woman to cross the finish line. Canton's Rebecca Lovenheim placed 5 th in 2:56:08 and improved by over 30 minutes on her 2005 finishing time of 3:27:21.