2011 Healthy Kidney 10k: Aggressive Start Helps Leonard Komon Net $45,000 Payday
By David Monti
May 14, 2011
(c) 2011 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
NEW YORK (14-May) -- On his first trip to New York City, world 10-K record holder Leonard Patrick Komon came ready to race.
Spurred on by a $25,000 first place prize and the promise of a $20,000
course record bonus, the 23 year-old Kenyan burst from the starting line
of the 7th annual UAE Healthy Kidney 10-K here this morning. Pushed by
compatriots Micah Kogo, the previous world 10-K record holder, and
Joseph Ebuya, the 2010 world cross country champion, Komon ripped
through the first mile in four minutes and 17 seconds, on pace for a
27-flat finish time on the IAAF-certified and hilly Central Park course.
"When we arrived in New York, we walked through the course, and I saw
that it wasn't too easy with all the hills," Komon said after the race.
"It was in my mind to run a fast first 5-K."
Through the second mile Komon, who also holds the world 15-K record,
kept up a torrid pace. The trio hit the two-mile mark in 8:38 (4:21)
before ascending the biggest hill on the course in the north end of the
Park. On that climb, Kogo and Ebuya began to lose contact, then Komon
opened up a 50-meter lead on the descent. Clipping through 5-K in
13:26, Komon punched his fist in the air signifying that he was feeling
strong. He had a 12-second lead on Kogo.
"I was expecting more of a challenge from my colleagues," Komon
lamented. "But generally, Joseph Ebuya and Micah Kogo are big
challenges for me. I had to start pushing from the start so I'd have
the chance to run (fast)."
In the uphill fourth mile Komon slowed to 4:42, but got down to a 4:31
for the downhill fifth mile, putting him at the 8 km/5 mile checkpoint
in a blazing 22:08. Kogo, who only arrived here yesterday afternoon due
to a later-than-planned visit to the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi to receive
his visa, was now running with Ebuya about 20 seconds behind.
"It was tough; I feel a little tired," Kogo explained. "From the start
my body didn't respond like Leonard's did. I arrived yesterday, and
maybe I'm tired from the flight."
In the final 800 meters --which gains about six meters in elevation--
Komon sprinted furiously to reach the finish tape in 27:35, seven
seconds under Gebre Gebremariam's course record from one year ago. The
performance earned him a $45,000 payday, the largest of any 10-k in the
world.
"The last mile I was not pushing," said Komon, who has seven brothers and one sister. "I felt very tired."
Behind him, Kogo won the sprint for second against Ebuya, by one second
in 27:55. Ethiopia's Lelisa Desisa and Kenya's Simon Ndirangu battled
for the fourth spot, and officials declared Desisa fourth, although both
men were given the same time: 28:19. The top American was Bobby
Curtis, the former NCAA champion who finished ninth in 29:09.
Immediately after the race, officials of the Embassy of the United Arab
Emirates, the sponsors of the race who provided the $60,000 prize money
purse, announced that the Sheik Zayad course record bonus would be
raised to $30,000 next year. Komon loved the idea, but said that
running near his world record time of 26:44 would be too hard.
"It's a hard course, too hard for under 27:00," he said.
PHOTO: Leonard Patrick Komon after setting a new race and Central Park
record at the UAE Healthy Kidney 10-K (photo by Jane Monti).
*Top Results below, Full Results here, race website here
Top Results - 7th Healthy Kidney 10-K, New York, NY, USA
MEN -
1. Leonard Patrick Komon, 23, KEN 27:35 CR* $25,000 + 20,000*
2. Micah Kogo, 24, KEN 27:55 12,500
3. Joseph Ebuya, 23, KEN 27:56 8,000
4. Lelisa Desisa, 21, ETH 28:19 5,000
5. Simon Ndirangu, 26,KEN 28:19 2,500
6. Tesfaye Girma, 28, ETH 28:25 1,250 + 1000^
7. Ezkyas Sisay, 22, ETH 28:47 PB 750 + 500^
8. Bado Worku Merdessa, 22, ETH 29:06 500 + 250^
9. Bobby Curtis, 26, USA 29:09 PB 250
10. Derese Deniboba, 28, ETH 29:10 100 + 200^
11. Shawn Forrest, 27, AUS 29:10
12. Ben St. Lawrence, 29, AUS 29:16
13. Harbert Okuti, 25, UGA 29:42 PB 150^
14. Abdi Abdirahman, 34, USA 29:44
15. Girma Tolla, 35, ETH 29:46
*Course record; previous 27:42, Gebre Gebremariam (ETH), 2010
WOMEN -
1. Buzunesh Deba, 23, ETH 33:39 $1000^
^Earned NYRR member award
NOTE: Race Results Weekly provides professional athletes consulting for the New York Road Runners
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