Kibet, Chepchumba Claim Victory at 30th Philadelphia Distance Run by: Philly Distance Run
PHILADELPHIA (September 16, 2007) Kenyan Julius Kibet earned top honors
for the second time at Sundays Philadelphia Distance Run, winning the
mens race in a time of 1 hour, 2 minutes, 2 seconds. Pamela
Chepchumba, also from Kenya, won the womens race in 1:08:45, one of
the worlds fastest half-marathon times for women this year.
It took a few miles for the mens professional field to warm up to the
clear and cool morning, recording their first sub-five minute mile at
mile three (4:52). The pack of 27 men weaved through Center City,
before doubling back onto Benjamin Franklin Parkway, to the cheers of
thousands of runners who were taking their initial steps on the course.
The pace quickened as the race progressed through miles four and five.
Kibet, 25, the 2004 Philadelphia Distance Run champion, led the group
of athletes as they began the eight-mile stretch along the Schuykill
River. Fellow Kenyans, 27-year-old John Yuda and Tom Nyariki, 36,
joined Kibet as they pushed through mile seven in a time of 34:04.
At Falls Bridge, the athletes crossed the river and began their return
towards the finish line. Now, 15 men were jockeying for position as
MacDonald Ondara, 23, from Kenya, joined the leaders as they recorded
the fastest split time of the day, running through mile nine in 4:33.
MacDonald and Nyariki led the next mile, but Kibet, who was close
behind knew he had to make a move to defend against his toughest
competition, Nyariki.
He is very strong in the finish, Kibet said of Nyariki.
Like his 2004 win, Kibet had to fight for todays victory as he ran
virtually neck-and-neck with Nyariki and Yuda. Fortunately for Kibet,
Nyariki did not answer as Kibet looked back before his final sprint
across the finish line.
The womens race was led early by the womens 2004 Philadelphia
Distance Run champion, 36-year-old Nuta Olaru from Romania. She took
the entire womens pack through mile four on a 1:10:30 half-marathon
pace.
Kenyan Edna Kiplagat, who finished second at the Philadelphia Distance
Run in 2006, traded places with Olaru through mile five and was joined
by countrywoman Alice Timbilili, 24, at mile six. The two women pushed
the pace as they passed though the 10-kilometer mark in 33:03, dropping
Kenyan Angelina Mutuku, 25 and Ethiopian Ashu Kasim, 22, who finished
fourth two weeks ago at the Rock n Roll Half Marathon in Virginia
Beach, Va.
Shortly after the womens group passed mile eight, Chepchumba began to
take control of the race alongside Timbilili. For the next three miles,
the two women launched a number of attacks. The pack thinned in
response to the quicker pace and Kiplagat eventually dropped away from
the leaders.
Chepchumba now had to shake her challenger Timbilili.
I tried to run faster, but she (Timbilili) was resisting, Chepchumba said . I started running at mile 11.
At mile 11 they recorded the fastest mile of the race (5:11).
Chepchumba began to pull away inside mile 12, breaking the tape 11
seconds ahead of Timbilili.
American Brandon Leslie, 31, from Arizona finished 22 overall in a time
of 1:05:01, ahead of the six other men who were tuning up for the 2008
Olympic Marathon Trials in November.
Bryan Skelly, 25, who will run the Chicago Marathon this October in an
attempt to qualify for the Olympic Marathon Trials was the first
Philadelphia finisher in a time of 1:07:09. Claire Duncan, 24, the
assistant track coach at Germantown Friends High School was the first
female Philadelphia finisher line in a time of 1:18:46.
Gideon Mutisya from Kenya topped the mens masters division (age 40 and
over), finishing in a time of 1:08:34. Doreen McCoubrie, from Malver,
Pa., was first among the masters women, finishing in a time of 1:19:19.
Both the mens and womens races were led by Saturn SKY roadsters, the
official vehicles of the 30th Anniversary Philadelphia Distance Run.
Professional Mens Field
NAME, AGE, LOCATION, TIME, PRIZE
1. Julius Kibet, 25, Kenya, 1:02:02, $8,000
2. Tom Nyariki, 36, Kenya, 1:02:04, $5,000
3. John Yuda, 27, Tanzania, 1:02:05, $3,000
4. MacDonald Ondara, 23, Kenya, 1:02:10, $2,000
5. Festus Langat, 22, Kenya, 1:02:28, $1,500
6. Charles Munyeki, 19, Kenya, 1:02:28, $1,250
7. Samuel Ndereba, 30, Kenya, 1:02:37, $1,000
8. Linuis Maiyo, 24, Kenya, 1:02:46, $750
9. Demesse Tefera, 25, Ethiopia, 1:02:46, $600
10. Daniel Kipkoech, 28, Kenya, 1:02:59, $500
Masters Women
1. Doreen McCoubrie, 45, Malvern, PA 1:19:19, $1,000
2. Lori Kingsley, 41, Wysox, PA 1:22:14, $500
3. Lee Dipietro, 49, Ruxton, MD 1:23:01, $250
Top Philadelphia Male
1. Bryan Skelly, 25, Philadelphia, 1:07:09, $1,000
Top Philadelphia Female
1. Claire Duncan, 24, Philadelphia, 1:18:46, $1,000
