An international flair prevailed amongst the top finishers at Sunday's 26th running of the Jefferson Hospital Philadelphia Distance Run (JHPDR), with seven nations represented among the men's and women's top ten finishers.

Both male and female half-marathon winners are Kenyan nationals. Laban Kipkemboi, 25, won the men's open division in 1 hour, 1 minute, 29 seconds--10 seconds faster than El Arbi Khattabi, 36, of Morrocco, while Leah Malot, 31, ran 1:11:20 to take the women's open division over American Jen Rhines, 29, of suburban Ardmore, PA who ran 1:11:45, a personal record. Rhines, a Team USA California member, is preparing for the ING New York City Marathon this November.

1992 U.S. Olympic marathoner Steve Spence, 41, of Shippensburg, PA won the2003 JHPDR men's masters title in 1:06:33. Russian Ramilya Burangulova, 42, who set the women's masters world record for the distance here in 2001, was again the women's masters champion and a strong fourth among women overall in 1:12:46. Japanese teammates Kayoko Obata and Miho Ichikawa were third and fifth respectively among women. Sixth, eighth and tenth place finishers were Kenyans Gladys Asiba, Anastasia Ndereba and Emily Samoei who train in suburban Philadelphia. Seventh and ninth places went to Americans Heather Hanscom of Virginia and Rachel Kinsman of Ohio.

Second masters woman Lee DiPietro, 45, from Ruxton, MD ran 1:18:12 (net time) to set a pending U.S. 45-49 age group record.

Kenyan men took six of the top ten places, including a strong debut by third place finisher Gilbert Koech and fourth by two- time defending champion Ronald Mogaka who train together in suburban Royersford. Kenyan compatriots Gabriel Muchiri and John Kagwe were fifth and sixth, with Julius Kimtai ninth. Evgenei Boszko of the Ukraine in seventh, Jeff Schiebler of Canada in eighth and American Phillimon Hanneck of Oregon filled out the men's top ten.

The first Philadelphia residents to finish were Bill Frawley in 1:06:31 and Andrea Niggemeier in 1:17:36. Wheelchair division winners were Michael King, 45, of Atglen in 1:02:41 and Amanda McGrory, 17 of Kennett Square in 1:05:38.

The men's 5K Classic champion was Matt Enders of West Chester in 15:08, with Shelly Hermann of Short Hills, N.J. winning the women's 5K title in 19:43.

Running the final mile amidst the international flags bordering the Ben Franklin Parkway, a parade of elite athletes and recreational runners represented thirty nations and nearly forty U.S. states. More than 8,400 runners registered for this year's Distance Run, joining hundreds more in the 5K Classic and the three-mile Big Walk for Little Feet in the Philadelphia Festival of Races. Light breezes and temperatures in the 60s made for comfortable conditions on the next to last day of summer.

Top Finishers

MEN
 1. Laban Kipkemboi, 25, KEN              1:01:29
 2. El Arbi Khattabi, 36, MAR             1:01:39
 3. Gilbert Koech, 23, KEN                1:02:05
 4. Ronald Mogaka, 25, KEN                1:02:24
 5. Gabriel Muchiri, 25, KEN              1:02:46
 6. John Kagwe, 34, KEN                   1:02:47
 7. Evgenei Boszko, 28, UKR               1:03:39
 8. Jeff Schiebler, 30, CAN               1:04:10
 9. Julius Kimtai, 28, KEN                1:04:17
10. Phillimon Hanneck, 32, Portland, OR   1:05:00


MASTERS MEN (40+)
1. Steve Spence, 41, Shippensburg, PA     1:06:33


WOMEN
 1. Leah Malot, 31, KEN                   1:11:20
 2. Jen Rhines, 29, Ardmore, PA           1:11:45
 3. Kayoko Obata, 32, JPN                 1:12:05
 4. Ramilya Burangulova, 42, RUS          1:12:46
 5. Miho Ichiwawa, 30, JPN                1:13:18
 6. Gladys Asiba, 26, KEN                 1:13:44
 7. Heather Hanscom, 25, Alexandria, VA   1:14:11
 8. Anastasia Ndereba, 28, KEN            1:14:40
 9. Rachel Kinsman, 29, Archibald, OH     1:15:15
10. Emily Samoei, 22, KEN                 1:15:21


MASTERS WOMEN (40+)
1. See above
2. Lee DiPietro, 45, Ruxton, MD           1:18:15

See complete results of the Philadelphia Distance Run Festival of Races.