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 13th. 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 39th 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
