The high humidity and the overcast sky was no match for the determined runners at the 20th Annual Sallie Mae 10K which was sponsored by the Sallie Mae Fund. The race was a benefit for the District of Columbia College Access Program (DC-CAP). The runners had a surprise visitor to wish then well prior to the start - former Washington Redskin, Darrell Green (photo left) .

There was an equal balance of male and female runners in the open and the masters divisions. The competition was at all levels, from 12-year-old Lindsay Kent of Yorktown, VA, to 85-year-old Hedy Marque of Alexandria, VA.

The top runners were going after the $18,000 in prize money. The records were on the lines. At the horn, a pack of nine runners made their way down Ohio Drive towards the Inlet Bridge to a journey to the tip of Hains Point. The course was out and back.

The lead pack included Kenyan runners from Royersford, PA, Simon Wangai and Moses Mwangai (photo left, followed closely by Gramsky), and from West Chester, PA, Patrick Nthiwa and Henry Kipchirchir. The local runners included Nick Gramsky and Chris Banks of the Georgetown Running Company. Trailing was master Gennady Temnikov of Gaithersburg, MD and Retta Feyissa of Ethiopia, now living in Washington, DC. The lead pack passed the first mile in 4:47.

The lead females went through the first mile in 5:08 with Olga Romanova of Russia, now living in Gaithersburg, MD, and the winner of last month's Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Miler. Firaya Sultanova-Zhanova of Russia, now living in Gainesville, FL, was being followed closely by three other females which included Anastasia Ndereba of Kenya. Catherine Ndereba, sister of Anastaisa won the Sallie Mae 10K in 1996 (32:05).

The men's field by the second mile had dropped down to three runners, Wangai, Nthiwa and Kipchirchir. The second mile was passed in 9:54.

The top three females passed the second mile in 11:05. Sultanova-Zhdanova was the leading master, and she trains with Tatiana Pozdnyakova, the master record holder for the Sallie Mae (33:47- 1996).

At the 5K split, the men's race was down to Wangai and Nthiwa as they passed in 14:03. The women passed the 5K split in 16:40.

The excitement started at mile six as Wangai and Nthiwa both started to the kick. The difference was between $1,000 and $700, and there would only be one winner. It was the closest finish in the history of this race; the time was 28:54 for both runners with Wangai being declared the winner (photo left). The Kenyans have dominated this race since 1992 with the exception of 1995.

Kipchirchir took third in 29:37 and collected $450. There was a clean sweep in the top three local finishers by the Georgetown Running Company; in fifth place was Nick Gramsky with a time of 30:35, the second local runner was Chris Banks in 31:10 in sixth place and eighth place was Erik Kean in 31:10.

Gennady Temnikov was the first master in 31:10 and less the two minutes off the record of 29:33. The second master was John Tuttle of Douglasville, GA, in 32:05 (12th place). Tuttle was the master's winner in 1992 (30:22).

Going into the sixth mile was Olga Romanova with a time of 31:48 followed by Sultanova-Zhanova at 32:08. The finish line was in sight as Romanova took the win in 32:56 the eighth fastest winning time and claimed $1,000.

Anastasia Ndereba was third overall 33:50 and was awarded second place money of $700. In fourth place, Grace Njoki of Kenya (photo above) with a time of 34:40 and an award of $450.

The second place and first master went to Sultanova-Zhanova with a time of 33:12. This was a new record which carried a bonus of $450 in addition to first place of $1,000. Lee DiPietro of Ruxton, Md., was the second master in 36:57 (12th place) with an award of $700. Maria Spinnler of Hagerstown, MD was the third master in 37:22 (15th place) and receiving an award of $500.

Atalelech Ketema of Ethiopia was fifth in 34:54 and collected $500 as the first local finisher. Irina Suvorova was the second local finisher in 35:27 and collected $300. Casey Smith of the Washington Running Club was third local in 36:14 (8th place), collecting $200.

The first local master was awarded to Dave Berardi of Baltimore, MD, in a time of 33:48 and collecting $500. Andrey Kuznetsov of Rockville, MD, was second in 33:53, collecting $300. Kuznetsov was the master's winner last year in 30:27. The third place was taken by Mark Malander of Oak Hill, VA, in 34:22 (28th place) and collecting $200.

The first local female master was awarded to two-time Marine Corps Marathon winner, Donna Moore, Team Brooks, with a 38:38 and collecting $500. The second place went to Laura Freix of Team Pacers, with a 39:26 and collecting $300. Julie Hayden of Potomac River Running was third in 40:56 and collecting $200.

The top wheelchair finisher was Geoff Hopkins of Alexandria, VA, with a time of 31:03 and collecting $300. Scott Moore was second in 32:04 and collecting $200.

The Intercollegiate Team Challenge was won by Bucknell Alumni Racing with a combined time of 2:31:56. The team members: Joe Cresko (34:09), Matt Kodak (34:14), Laura Freix (39:26) and Amy Lilly (44:07). The Sallie Fund will donate $1000 to the general scholarship of Bucknell. Bucknell takes over after a five year winning steak held by Johns Hopkins SAIS. The Terp Runners were second in 2:28:32 and third was Georgetown MBA in 3:08:34.


In the Open Men team category, The Georgetown Running Company edged out the Falls Road Running, 2:04:51 to 2:12:36. The winning team members were Nick Gramsky (30:35), Chris Banks (31:10), Erik Kean (31:14) and Edmund Burke (31:52). The third place team was FRNY in 2:33:47.

In the Open Women team category, Potomac River Racing took first with 2:30:55. The team members were Meghan McLaughlin (36:23), Cathy Pugsley (37:16), Susannah Kvasnicka (37:30), Patti Shull (40:46) (photo above) and Julie Hayden (40:46). The Washington Running Club was second in 2:35:38.

The Co-Ed team category was won by Falls Road Running with a time of 2:18:56. The team members were John Tuttle (32:05), Jim Hage (33:11), Vicki Cauller (36:57) and Lee DiPietro (36:57). The second place team was CEB with a time of 2:55:47.

The Sallie Mae Fund - The Sallie Mae Fund is sponsored by Sallie Mae. The Fund achieves its mission to increase access to a post-secondary education for America's children by supporting programs and initiatives that help open doors to higher education, prepare families for their investment, and bridge the gap when no one else can.

Top Cash Awards

Open Male
PL	Name				Age	Time 	City/State		Amount
1	Simon Wangai			24	28:54	Kenya			$1,000
2	Patrick Nthiwa		        19	28:54	Kenya			$700
3	Henry Kipchirchir		19	29:39	Kenya			$450
4	Moses Mwangi	        	29	30:33	Kenya			$200
6	Retta Feyissa			27	31:38	Ethiopia		$150



Open Female
PL
1	Olga Romanova	         	22	32:56	Russia			$1000
3	Anastasia Ndereba		28	33:53	Kenya			$700
4	Grace Njoki			25	34:40	Kenya			$450
7	Naoko Ishibe			34	36:06	Silver Spring, MD	$200
9	Meghan McLaughlin		24	36:23	Alexandria, VA	        $150



Master Male
PL
7	Gennady Temnikov		42	31:10	Russia			$1000
12	John Tuttle			44	32:05	Douglasville, GA	$700
19	Jim Hage			45	33:11	Kensington, MD	        $500
Master Female
2	Firaya Sultanova-Zhanova	42	33:12*	Russia			$1000  + $450
12	Lee DiPietro			45	36:57	Ruxton, MD		$700
15	Maria Spinnler		        41	37:22	Hagerstown, MD	        $500
	
	* Master Record $450 Bonus (Old 33:47 T. Pozdnyakova 1996)
Local Open Male
5	Nick Gramsky			25	30:35	McLean, VA		$500
6	Chris Banks			25	31:10	Alexandria, VA	        $300
8	Erik Kean			25	31:14	Washington, DC	        $200
Local Open Female
5	Ketma Atalelech		20	34:54	Ethiopia		        $500
6	Irina Suvorova			33	35:27	Russia			$300
8	Casey Smith			23	36:14	Arlington, VA		$200
Local Master - Male
21	Dave Berardi			42	33:48	Baltimore, MD	        $500
22	Andrey Kuznetsov		45	33:53	Russia			$300
28	Mark Melander		        45	34:22	Oak Hill, VA		$200
Local Master - Female
21	Donna Moore			42	38:38	Silver Spring, MD	$500
23	Laura Freix			41	39:26	Centreville, VA	        $300
26	Julie Hayden			43	40:56	Ashburn, VA		$200

For another perspective on the Sallie Mae 10K, take a look at the article written by Jim Hage.

For complete race results, please visit our Results Page.

Take a look at the race Photo Gallery!

For more information about the Sallie Mae Fund, please visit www.salliemaefund.org/10k .