Wile battles back to win Heart O’ Dixie

Wile battles back to win Heart O’ Dixie

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Daniel Wile of Meridian crossed the finish line first Saturday but he wasn’t sure he had actually won the 41st Heart O’ Dixie Triathlon.

The start of the race is staggered and the computer keeps up with all individual times. A later starter might actually have a better time.

“I had two guys pass me on the bike,” Wile said. “They were really strong cyclists. I thought the gap was going to be too big to close. I put my head down and decided to see what I could do on the run. I ran a pace I could hold. I still didn’t know if I closed the gap but it turned out to be enough by a very close margin.”

Wile, 25, finished the course with a time of 2:07:25. Brian Whitmire of Starkville finished second with a time of 2:08:10 followed by Rafe Armstrong of Grenada with a time of 2:08:48.

The event drew 264 participants.

Megan Davis of Biloxi was the first female finisher. She finished in a time of 2:24:11. She finished 13th overall.

“I busted it on the 21st mile of the bike race,” Davis said. “But I got up and kept going. I competed in this race in 2013 and finished sixth overall. I enjoyed being able to come back this year.”

Preston Breazeale was the winner of the Dickey Nowell Memorial Award which goes to the first Neshoba County resident to cross the finish line. Breazeale finished with a time of 2:53:19 and 56th overall.

Jerica Hazelwood was the winner of the female Dickey Nowell Memorial award. She finished with a time of 3:15.19 and placed 116 overall.

The first Heart O’ Dixie Triathlon was run in 1980. It was the longest-running triathlon in the United States until it was paused last year. The triathlon begins with the .5 mile swim at Lake Tiak-O'Khata. That’s followed by the 27.5 mile bike race which progresses through the rolling red clay hills down Highway 25 to Philadelphia. It concludes with a 7-mile run to the Neshoba County Fairgrounds. The awards ceremony follows.

The Heart O’ Dixie Triathlon is a project of the Philadelphia Sertoma Club, which has conducted the event since it began. All money raised goes back to the community through various projects.

Here are the female top 10 finishers:

1.Megan Davis, Biloxi, 2:24:11

2.Laura Nail, Raymond, 2:31:14

3. April McDonald, Lucedale, 2:35:54

4. Kathy Armstrong, Grenada, 2:37:54

5. Carolyn Robins, Long Beach, 2:39:08

6. Cristine Bosau, Niceville, Fla., 2:40:05

7. Laurabeth Chandler, Sumrall, 2:43:07

8. Amy Davis, Birmingham, 2:43:48

9. Liz Hall, Memphis, 2:46:32

10. Lori Coward, Birmingham, 2:47:20

 

The top 10 male finishers are as follows:

1.Daniel Wile, Meridian, 2:07:25

2. Brian Whitmire, Starkville, 2:08:10

3. Rafe Armstrong, Grenada, 2:08:48

4. Aaron Ford, Saltillo, 2:12:52

5. Davis Shearon, Panama City, 2:13:47

6. Jason Kelley, Mobile, 2:17:18

7. Matt Williams, Jonesboro, Ark., 2:17:24

8. John Chandler, Sumrall, 2:17:42

9. Brandon Rouse. Saraland, Ala., 2:19:21

10. Giles Jones, Starkville, 2:19:26.

 

Here are age group winners

Female Masters, Delaine Lott, 42, Hattiesburg, 2:49:18

Male Masters. Charlie Risen, 40, Booneville, 2:22:18

Female Grand Masters, Rhonda Sawaya, 52, Madison, 2:49:32

Male Grand Masters, C.D. Overton, 51, Batesville, 2:26:18

Female Senior Masters. Vicki Alexander, 62, Meridian, 3:10:36

Male Senior Masters, Leonard Vergunst, 66, Ocean Springs, 2:28:17

Oldest finisher – Jim Suber, Woodstock, Ga., 3:26:38

 

Here are the top finishers by age groups:

Female 20-24, Kristen Pickering, Hattiesburg, 3:08:59

Female 25-29, Marina Shannon, Jackson, 2:57:41

Female 30-34, Brittany Logan, St. Peters, Missouri, 3:01:03

Female 35-39, Rebecca Leggett, Columbus, Ms., 3:08:25

Female 40-44, Jessica Myers, Philadelphia, 3:27:35

Female 45-49, Laura Tackett, Ridgeland, 2:54:57

Female 50-54, Stephanie Weldon, Brandon, 3:00:37

Female 55-59, Martha Davis, Madison, 3:07:38

Female 60-64, Lisa Abramson, New Orleans, 3:20:31

Male 1-14, Wyatt Joiner, Philadelphia, 3:13:35

Male 15-19, Ryett Schimpf, Starkville, 2:25:51

Male 20-24, James Harsch, Ocean Springs, 2:27:33

Male 25-29, Peyton Williamson, Philadelphia, Tenn., 2:43:22

Male 30-34, Adam Wade, Clinton, 2:41:40

Male 35-39, Stephen Dyess, Meridian, 2:36:02

Male 40-44, Larry Lynch, Memphis, 2:22:29

Male 45-49, Christopher Fields, Rosemary Beach, Fla., 2:26:28

Male 50-54, David Sawaya Jr., Madison, 2:35:57

Male 55-59 David Triplett, Madison, 2:29:45

Male 60-64, Johnny Miles, Tupelo, 2:33:37

Male 65-69, David Lessley, Sallisaw, Ok., 3:02:50

Male 70-74, Thomas Moore, Brandon, 3:17:48.






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