1 Ecuador's runner Rolando Vera won the prestigious San Blas half-marathon Sunday, beating a field from more than 22 different countries.
2 Vera, a five-time competitor who has never finished better than second, ran the 21.9-kilometer (13.1 mile) race in 1 hour, 4 minutes, 31 seconds, beating Brazilian Delmir Dos Santos by 58 seconds.
3 Dos Santos is the only runner to win San Blas three years in a row.
4 'I dedicate this victory to my country which is going through a difficult time,' said Vera, alluding to the border conflict between Ecuador and Peru.
5 Vera, however, was unable to break the course's record held by Kenyan Lameck Aguta, who did not finish among the top 10.
6 Jose Castillo, of Peru, finished third in 1:06:01.
7 The Peruvian, who competed in the hilly race in the southern town of Coamo for the first time, beating the favorite Ronaldo da Costa of Brazilian by 15 seconds.
8 Colombia's Jacinto Lopez was fifth in 1:06:27, three seconds ahead of Costa Rica's Jose Luis Molina.
9 Julio Hernandez, also from Colombia, was seventh in 1:07:07 and Mexico's Andres Espinoza eighth in 1:07:12.

" I dedicate this victory to my country which is going through a difficult time , " said Vera , alluding to the border conflict between Ecuador and Peru .
difficult time , "
How is the  conflict affecting sports in general?