Queens Half Marathon goes to NJ runner

BY ROBERT ELKIN

Tuesday, July 27, 2010 4:03 PM EDT

While Michael Dixon of Fanwood, New Jersey emerged victorious in the Queens Half-Marathon, Phil Sneller of Astoria slowly moved up, picked up ground, and picked off runners to wind up in third place under the hot, humid conditions at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park on Saturday, July 24.

The 13.1 mile event, conducted by the New York Road Runners Club and College Point Road Runners Track Club, marked its first time at this venue.

Going into the Queens Half, Sneller didn’t think that he would win it, because he recently came off competing in a marathon in Eugene, Oregon. But with a third place finish it was very close.

Sneller’s 1:18.04 placed him behind winner Dixon’s clocking of 1:14.00 and second place finisher Anthony Calingo’s 1:17.46.

“The guys went out pretty fast for the first few miles,” Sneller said. “I took it slow. My plan was not to run too hard and try to finish in the top three and I did that. I wasn’t trying to win. It was too hot to run fast.”

Sneller, and the rest of the field, certainly enjoyed competing in the new, basically flat course that started east of the Unisphere, stayed mostly within the park, went briefly outside and ended near the Fountain of the Planets near the start within the park.

“I thought that the course was great,” said Dixon, who took the lead after the three mile mark. “We ran by the zoo and saw all the monuments. This is my first time in Queens except for the New York City Marathon.”

Meanwhile, Reilly Kiernan of Manhattan led most of the way, covered the course in 1:23.43 for 21st place overall, in her debut in this venue, and became the female winner.

The New York Road Runners took the race over completely from the College Point Road Runners, who still gave a helping hand with the race and made it once again a successful one.

“A lot of people were happy,” said Randy Savitt, who helps out with many of the NYRRC races during the year. “You can’t please everyone.”

Besides Sneller, other Queens residents among the top 35 with their times were Mario Dimas of Astoria, fifth place, 1:18.36; Joel Martinez-Delon of East Elmhurst, sixth place, 1:19.24; Ricardo Cuahuizo, Elmhurst, 11th place, 1:20.55; Jesus Dominquez, Astoria, 15th place, 1:21.57; Volik, Astoria, 24th place, 1:24.14; Michael Kimelman, Long Island City, 34th place, 1:25.50; Victor Garcia, College Point, 35th place, 1:26.08.