Reigning IAAF World Cross Country champion Emily Chebet overcame steamy conditions and an even hotter field here today to win the 32nd Freihofer's Run for Women 5-K in course record time.
The 24 year-old mother from Kericho, Kenya, who still has the youthful looks and smile of a teenager, sailed down the homestretch on Madison Avenue to break the tape in 15:12 (15:11.1).
"I am happy now," said the tiny athlete soaked with sweat. "I am the winner."
The twisting record-standard course begins with a short uphill, and that led the lead pack of eight women to a sluggish 3:14 for the first kilometer. Africans led the way. Chebet was joined by Ethiopians Teyba Erkesso, the defending champion, Mamitu Daska, Amane Gobena, and Belainesh Gebre; Kenyans Edna Kiplagat and Jelliah Kerubo Tinega; and Australian Benita Willis. The pack stayed together through a faster second kilometer (6:14/3:00), but Willis, a three-time champion here, and Gebre fell back in the third (uphill) kilometer in leafy Washington Park (9:25/3:11).
"I was the only (non-African) who went with them," Willis said. "I gave myself every shot to go for it."
The field began to string out in the fourth kilometer. As the leaders turned right for the second pass through the Park, only four were left in contention: Chebet, Kiplagat, Daska and Erkesso. Chebet knew that the other three women were primarily marathoners and was beginning to feel like this was her day.
"Yes. I see that the body is OK, and I say, I am the winner today," Chebet recalled. "Yes, I feel the body is strong today."
Erkesso drifted back before the 4-K mark (12:31/3:06), then Kiplagat upped the pace. Chebet responded, but Daska couldn't hold on. Chebet accelerated immediately as they turned left on to Madison for the final 800 meters to the finish, and began to slowly increase here speed over Kiplagat, who was familiar with Chebet's résumé.
"I knew she would have good speed," said Kiplagat. "When I was in Kenya watching the world cross country (on television) she was among the fast (group). Then, in the last kilometer she outsprinted the world 10,000m champion, Linet Masai."
Chebet did not make a sudden burst for victory, but gently lifted her speed with every stride. Before she began the final 350-meter downhill for the finish line adjacent to Empire State Plaza, she was not trying to break Asmae Leghzaoui's course record of 15:18 from 2005. Nonetheless, she covered the last kilometer in 2:41.
"No, I don't know the course record," Chebet said looking down like a schoolgirl who failed to complete a homework assignment. "I run this race in 2007, but..."
Chebet's time was the second-fastest on USA soil this year, behind only Ethiopia's Meseret Defar who ran 15:04 at the Carlsbad 5000 in California last April, and earned her $10,000 in prize money. Kiplagat came home second in 15:20 followed by Daska (15:23), Erkesso (15:36) and Gebre (15:44). Willis finished seventh in 15:49, and Rebecca Donaghue of State College, Pa., was the top American in ninth place in 15:50.
Ukraine's Anzhelika Averkova, 41, won the veterans (masters) competition in 16:50 ($750), and Carmen Troncoso, 51, outsprinted Joan Samuelson, 53, to win the 50-and-over title by one second in 17:47. It was Troncoso's 20th consecutive finish at Freihofer's, and her 19th time breaking 18 minutes.
"If she comes up here it's over," Troncoso said of Samuelson pointing at her left shoulder. "If you let her come, it's over."
Not surprisingly, race director George Regan was pleased with his event which recorded nearly 4000 entrants. "It was just tremendous to have a near-record field, and have a course record," he said. "There's not much more I could ask for. I'm very happy."
(c) 2010 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
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