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Peter Kamais, Mara Yamauchi Win NYC Half-Marathon on Sunday, March 21
Americans Deena Kastor Second in Women's Race, Mohamed Trafeh Third Among Men
By Jim Gerweck, Running USA wire; photos by www.photorun.netMarch 22, 2010
New York, NY
On Sunday, March 21 at the NYC Half Marathon, both the men's and women's races saw surprising developments during the 13.1 mile event in New York City.
New Women's Event Record (1:09:25) Set
2004 Olympic bronze medalist Deena Kastor (37) of Mammoth Lakes, CA, who competes in next month's Virgin London Marathon, took off at course record pace, hitting the first mile in 5:05. "I wanted to run aggressively, and test my fitness," she said, admitting that she was beset by a head cold. "My nose was running like a faucet."
The early pace left her main challenger, Britain's Mara Yamauchi, in the slipstream. "I thought, 'Well, that's too fast, I guess I'll just try to run strong through the hills and see what it gets me,'" said the Briton.
Yamauchi (36) soon found herself with Mexico's Madai Perez, as both women chased the American; Perez was returning in her first major road race since the birth of a daughter last May.
Mara Yamauchi (photo at left) continued, "We were pushing each other, and as we came out of the park, I could see Deena ahead, so I motioned Madai that we should work together to try and catch her." Perez eventually dropped off, but Yamauchi caught Deena Kastor around 11 miles and pulled away for an 18-second victory, breaking Catherine Ndereba's 2006 course record by the same margin. Kastor, who equaled the mark, said she was heartened by her run."Of course, it would have been nicer to win, but this gives me a lot of confidence going into London," said Deena Kastor (photo below), the American women's record-holder in the marathon. "Last year (when she finished seventh in 1:13:48), I was testing my confidence that I had recovered from my foot injury [a broken foot during the Beijing Olympic marathon], and could run hard. Today I was testing my ability to race."
When asked about her goals for London, where she'll have a rematch with Yamauchi, Deena Kastor said aggressive running will once again be her métier. "First things first," she said. "My first goal is to win--if it results in a PR, even better."
A Surprise Winner in the Men's Race
Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie, the men's marathon world record-holder, was the marquee entrant in the men's field. But Kenyan Peter Kamais ran his own race, pushing a punishing pace on the opening 8-mile loop of Manhattan's Central Park that dropped a two-time ING New York City Marathon champ, several U.S. Olympians, and the defending World Cross Country champion.
By the time Peter Kamais exited the park onto Seventh Avenue, the tall, long-striding 10K specialist had only one challenger left--a figure who, while far shorter in stature, far overshadowed the Kenyan in honors won. Haile Gebrselassie is a two-time Olympic 10,000 meter champion, and setter of 25 world records; Gebrselassie was returning to New York for the first time since he won this race in 2007 in a course record 59 minutes, 24 seconds.
But Haile Gebrselassie suddenly stepped off the course between 52nd and 53rd Streets, stopping to gather himself before resuming, at a much slower pace, before finally withdrawing at the medical station at 9 miles. Suffering from flu-like symptoms in the days leading up to the race, Gebrselassie said afterward the dust and pollen in the park, partially the result of spring-like weather that had blanketed the area the previous week, triggered an asthma attack that caused his breathing to grow almost instantly constricted, and he was not able to get it under control.
"What can you do?," Haile Gebrselassie shrugged afterward; he suffered a similar fate triggered by pollen during the 2007 London Marathon (near the 30K mark).
Peter Kamais (photo at left) was happy to enjoy a solo time trial the last 4 miles, no matter how he achieved it. "I never [expected] I would win--Haile is [so] strong," said the 33-year-old, who pocketed $20,000. UniversalSports.com offered live, online coverage of the race; in a post-race interview, Kamais stated that he felt very good during the race, and became confident of victory.Peter Kamais winning time of 59:53, 45 seconds ahead of countryman Moses Kigen Kipkosgei, was the second-fastest in the race's history.
Kipkosgei outsprinted the top American, Mohamed Trafeh, who had run much of the race in third place after the large early lead pack disintegrated on the park's tough north hills. According to RunningTimes.com, Trafeh is self-coached, and seeking a sponsor; the Californian, who came to the USA as a teenager from Morocco, is quickly making a name for himself in the American distance community.
"I had a little too much confidence in my finish," said Trafeh, who last week won his first national championship at the Gate River 15K. "Now, I'd like to capitalize on my fitness on the track and run some really fast 5000 and 10,000 meter times."
This was the race's first running in the spring, after four different dates in late summer that often resulted in runners facing bigger challenges from summer weather than other racers. In contrast, today brought almost perfect conditions: 53 degrees and dry, resulting in PRs for many of the 11,493 finishers, the most in the event's history.
5th NYC Half-Marathon
New York, NY, Sunday, March 21, 2010
Top Female Finishers
1) Mara Yamauchi (GBR), 1:09:25*, $20,000
2) Deena Kastor (USA /CA), 1:09:43, $10,000
3) Madai Perez (MEX), 1:09:45, $6000
4) Irene Limika (KEN), 1:10:55, $3500
5) Kiyoko Shimahara (JPN), 1:12:41, $2500
6) Bruna Genovese (ITA), 1:12:55, $1500
7) Heidi Westover (USA / MA), 1:13:25, $1000
8) Aziza Aliyu (ETH), 1:13:34, $750
9) Sally Meyerhoff (USA / OR), 1:13:58, $500
10) Catherine Mullen (USA / NY), 1:14:48, $400
11) Hirut Mandefro (ETH/Silver Spring, MD), 1:15:30, $300
12) Salome Kosgei (KEN), 1:15:40, $250
*course record (previous, 1:09:43, Catherine Ndereba (KEN), 2006)
Top Male Finishers
1) Peter Kamais (KEN), 59:53, $20,000
2) Moses Kigen Kipkosgei (KEN) 1:00:38, $10,000
3) Mohamed Trafeh (USA / CA), 1:00:39, $6000
4) Bekana Daba (ETH), 1:01:23, $3500
5) Shadrack Kiptoo Biwott (KEN), 1:01:52, $2500
6) Josh Rohatinsky (USA / OR), 1:01:55, $1500
7) Alistair Cragg (IRL), 1:01:58, $1000
8) Samuel Ndereba (KEN), 1:02:55, $750
9) Marilson Gomes Dos Santos (BRA), 1:02:57, $500
10) Tesfaye Girma (ETH), 1:03:12, $400
11) Anthony Famiglietti (USA / NY), 1:03:18, $300
12) Abderrahime Bouramdane (MAR), 1:03:29, $250
For event results, photos, video and more, see www.NYRR.org