By Jim Hage
Washington, DC
April 3, 2011
For the Washington Running Report

After nine miles of a back-and-forth battle with Allan Kiprono at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run, Lelisa Desisa (left) appeared headed for a second straight photo finish. Last year’s race came down to the wire and ended unhappily for Desisa when he was literally pushed aside by the winner, Stephen Tum, in a pell-mell sprint. Desisa finished second.

So this year the Ethiopian made his move with 800 meters to go, decisively dropping Kiprono and cruising alone to the tape as the undisputed champion in a event record 45 minutes 36 seconds – Ismael Kirui set the record of 45:38 in 1995.

Kiprono, from Kenya, finished second in 45:41.

“Last year I was happy,” said Lelisa Desisa, 21, whose claim of interference in 2010 was denied. “Today, I am more happy.”

Similarly, Julliah Tinega, the women’s runner-up last year, earned vindication with her one second win over fellow Kenyan Risper Gesabwa. Tinega’s time of 54:02 better reflected the cold and breezy conditions that made Desisa’s record even more impressive.

Tgist Tufa ran 54:13 to finish third in a truncated women’s-only field of just eight, who started 10 minutes before the men’s and open field. Three-time defending women’s champion Lineth Chepkurui was a late scratch.

Two-time men’s champion (2008 and ‘09) Ridouane Harroufi, 29, from Morocco, ran with the leaders until seven miles before losing contact and finishing third in 46:27. “Today is my first race this year,” Harroufi said. “The pace was very fast and my legs felt heavy. Maybe next race I feel better.”

Lucas Meyer, 27, a third-year law student at the University of Connecticut, ran 48:26 and finished 13^th. As the first American, Meyer earned $1,000. Local (D.C.) resident David Nightingale, 25, was one place back in 48:39 and earned $500.

Claire Hallissey, 28, (left) a native of Britain who lives in Arlington, finished fifth among the women in 56:17, good for $1,000 in prize money. Late-blooming Kelly Jaske, 34, from Portland, Ore., was the first American, sixth in 57:06. Jaske, a criminal defense lawyer, has been running competitively for less than five years. She was fifth at last year’s race.

Nianxiang Xie, 83, from Rockville, was the oldest finisher in 1:58:26.

Ben Beach, 61, from Bethesda, ran 1:37:18 to extend his streak as the only runner to have completed every Cherry Blossom race. This year’s 39^th edition featured a record 15,968 finishers.

Top 25 Finishers

Men

Place Div  /Tot   Num    Name                   Ag Hometown             5 Mile  Gun Tim Net Tim Pace  
===== =========== ====== ====================== == ==================== ======= ======= ======= ===== 
    1     1/398        3 Lelisa Desisa          21 Ethiopia                       45:36   45:36  4:34 
    2     2/398       13 Allan Kiprono          21 Kenya                  23:08   45:41   45:41  4:35 
    3     1/1466       5 Ridouane Harroufi      29 Morocco                23:10   46:27   46:27  4:39 
    4     3/398       17 Lani Kiplagat          22 Kenya                  23:09   46:30   46:30  4:39 
    5     2/1466      27 Macdonard Ondara       26 Kenya                  21:41   46:52   46:52  4:42 
    6     3/1466      29 Tesfaye Sendeku        28 Ethiopia               23:15   46:53   46:53  4:42 
    7     4/1466      21 Stephen Muange         29 Kenya                  23:24   47:30   47:30  4:45 
    8     4/398       23 Simon Cheprot          21 Kenya                  23:14   47:32   47:32  4:46 
    9     5/1466      31 Josphat Boit           27 Kenya                  23:24   47:50   47:50  4:47 
   10     1/1075      25 Girma Tola             35 Ethiopia               23:27   47:56   47:56  4:48 
   11     5/398       47 Ezkyas Sisay           22 Ethiopia               23:34   47:58   47:58  4:48 
   12     6/1466      51 Tesfaye Assefa         27 Ethiopia               23:42   48:03   48:03  4:49 
   13     7/1466      33 Lucas Meyer            27 Ridgefield CT          24:06   48:26   48:26  4:51 
   14     8/1466     296 David Nightingale      25 Washington DC          24:10   48:39   48:39  4:52 
   15     9/1466      45 Augustus Maiyo         27 Colorado Springs CA    24:18   49:56   49:56  5:00 
   16    10/1466     107 Karl Dusen             28 N Bethesda MD          25:13   50:06   50:06  5:01 
   17     1/1326     105 Bert Rodriguez         31 Arlington VA           25:08   50:25   50:25  5:03 
   18     6/398      297 Sam Luff               24 Rockville MD           25:22   50:45   50:45  5:05 
   19     7/398      106 Jerry Greenlaw         23 Alexandria VA          25:19   50:55   50:55  5:06 
   20    11/1466     112 Brian Flynn            27 Weyers Cave VA         25:24   51:08   51:08  5:07 
   21    12/1466      49 Birhanu Alemu          28 Ethiopia               25:09   51:10   51:10  5:07 
   22     2/1075   20510 Michael Wardian        36 Arlington VA           25:20   51:16   51:16  5:08 
   23    13/1466     304 Joe Wiegner            29 Rockville MD           25:25   51:34   51:34  5:10 
   24    14/1466     109 Dirk De Heer           29 Silver Spring MD       25:44   51:40   51:40  5:10 
   25    15/1466     108 David Burnham          26 Arlington VA           25:37   51:49   51:46  5:11