ATLANTA -- Nearly 2,500 people hit the streets of Atlanta Saturday for this year's Atlanta Marathon and Marathon Relay.

Kennesaw resident Reuben Mwei was the clear winner of the marathon. He broke through the tape at 2:23:25, more than eight minutes before the second place finisher, to take home the $1,000 grand prize.

Saturday's race was the 26 year old's first-ever marathon. He also won the Allstate Life Insurance Atlanta 13.1 Marathon on Oct. 7 with a time of 1:09:12.

The second man to cross the finish line was Marietta resident Malcolm Campbell, 41, whose final time was 2:31:26. Twenty-nine-year-old Justin Gillette of Goshen, Ind., winner of the 2011 Atlanta Marathon, placed third with a time of 2:36:27.

ATLANTA -- The 2012 London Paralympics begin Wednesday, and several Georgians are hoping to bring home the gold at the Games.

Learn who to root for here:

Richard Browne, 21, Athletics
Browne is a native of Jackson, Miss., and now attends Morehouse College in Atlanta. He suffered a below-the-knee amputation after an accident in 2009, but quickly bounced back to become a Paralympian. Browne will compete in the 100m, 4x100m and high jump. He won silver in the high jump and bronze in the 100m at the 2012 Paralympic Trials.

ATLANTA -- You have seen them on NBC television network reality series “America’s Got Talent” and if you are a reality-show junkie, you remember them sharing  their high-energy dance experience with singer/songwriter Kandi Burruss and Attorney Phaedra Parks in connection with their travels to South Africa on BRAVO cable network top-rated reality series “Real Housewives of Atlanta”.

Now, the 19-year Atlanta-based ensemble GIWAYEN MATA, is going  to bring their ‘contagious’ high energy drum and dance to the Southwest Arts Center for Father's Day. Between educating audiences about African traditions and breaking barriers as an all-sistah ensemble in a male dominated percussion industry, its no wonder Creative Loafing Magazine named them "Best Local World Music Act" three times!