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Nov. 6, 2011

NEW YORK - Former Western Washington University runner Sarah Porter placed 22nd in the women's division of the New York City Marathon on Sunday.

The 22-year-old Porter completed the 26-mile, 385-yard course through the city's five boroughs in 2:44.25. In all, more than 47,000 runners competed in all divisions of the marathon.

Firehiwot Dado was the first to cross the finish line in the women's race with a time of 2:23.15. The 27-year-old Ethiopian went past favorite Mary Keitany in the last two miles of the race. Keitany held a two-and-a-half minute lead at the halfway mark.

Keitany, this year's London Marathon winner, passed the halfway mark at 1:07.56, a record-setting pace, but was unable to sustain that. She repeated her 2010 performance, placing third just 23 seconds behind Dado. Fellow Ethiopian Buzunesh Deba came in second.

A beautiful fall day with temperatures in the low 40s brought spectators to all corners of the course to cheer on runners

Porter was a 12-time All-American at Western, being the NCAA Division II national champion in the 10,000 meters last spring, posting the fastest time of any NCAA division in 2011. She also was a two-time national runner-up in cross country.

The 5-foot-3 Porter is now training in Bowling Rock, North Carolina. A three-time WWU Female Athlete of the Year, she is a graduate of Hockinson High School near Vancouver, Wash.

Porter's goal is to qualify for the U.S. Olympic track and field trials next year in the 10,000.