Page 5 - 2018_Results_Bookv5

Men’s Results

Photo: George Banker
Jemal Yimer, far right wearing bib #1, won the men’s race which made him the Men’s 2018 PRRO and RRCA Champion.
Ethiopians Yimer and Diriba Take Top Honors at the 46 Credit Union Cherry Blossom
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Both Win PRRO and RRCA Champioships, Diriba Pockets $10,000 PRRO Super Bonus

by Jake Klim

efying weather forecasts and meteorological compatriot, James Kibet, placed fourth and won yards from the finish line, extending her kick to and a two-time winner of the Boston Marathon,
Dpundits, Washington D.C.’s celebrated cherry $1,500. Chris Derrick, Portland, OR, won $5,000 the tape. continues to turn heads as a sexagenarian. Samuelson’s
blossoms withstood the bluster of early spring for topping all other Americans, as well as an “Last year I was number two, (in 2016) I was time of 1:07:56 set an event single-age and an event age
and reached peak bloom just in time for the 2018 additional $1,000 for placing fifth overall. number two, now I’m number one; I’m very group record for women 60-64 years of age. Shoemaker,
Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run, “I didn’t have the legs to go with the move (at happy,” Diriba told reporters after the race. Fallon and Samuelson earned RRCA National
much to the delight of the 15,000 runners who Hains Point),” Derrick admitted. “I was able to win In addition to the $8,000 first place prize Diriba Champion laurels in their respective age groups.
competed in the 46th edition of the Runner’s Rite the next group, but obviously I’d like to be in that tacked the PRRO Super Bonus of $10,000 by In the Washington Metropolitan Area Team
of Spring®. top group.” winning the PRRO Championship after having Championship, the Pacers Running//GRC New Balance
In arguably ideal weather conditions for Edwin Kibichiy, of Kenya, placed sixth and won won one of other 2017-2018 PRRO Circuit races. club, captained by Paul Thistle, Capitol Heights, MD,
racing—with light winds, clear skies and $900, while Libyan Mohamed Hrezi won $800 (Diriba actually won two 2017-2018 PRRO triumphed over friendly foe Pacers//New Balance to take
temperatures hovering in the mid-30s—runners for his seventh-place run. Abbabiya Simbassa, Circuit events -- the 2017 Lilac Bloomsday Run in top honors in the men’s contest and win $1,000.
from every U.S. state and 14 countries enjoyed Colorado Springs, CO, won a total of $4,400: $700 Spokane, WA and the EQT Pittsburgh 10 Mile). “We had no margin for error because two of the
the full grandeur of Washington in spring as they for eighth place, $2,500 for second American She also became the 2018 RRCA National 10 Mile five athletes we designated for the team competition
streamed through a tunnel of pink-white blossoms and along with a special RRCA bonus of $1,200 Champion. were unable to run due to a work conflict and an ill-
past the capital’s historic monuments. for being the first male RRCA Road Scholar/ So close was the race that the top six finishers all timed injury,” noted the team’s coach Jerry Alexander.
“Fortunately, the race week forecast of 5-8” of snow RunPRO Camp attendee. Americans Matthew crossed the line within 14-seconds of each other. “Fortunately for us, they all came through.”
proved to be as spurious as the mid-March prediction McClintock and Andrew Colley, teammates at Gebrekidan, who placed second in a time of 53:48, Susanna Sullivan, Reston VA, led the Capital Area
of peak blossoms, so we ended up with the best of Zap Fitness in Blowing Rock, NC, rounded out won $4,000; Yemer finished three seconds later in Runners to a $1,000 payday over the Pacers Running//
both worlds—excellent running conditions and cherry the top-10, netting totals of $2,100 ($600 for ninth third to win $2,000; Hawi placed fourth winning GRC New Balance in the women’s competition.
trees in full splendor,” said Event Director Phil overall and $1,500 for third American) and $1,500 $1,500; and Nukuri was bestowed a total of $6,000 John Payne, Germantown, TN, bested Andy Burt,
Stewart. “The combination of the PRRO and RRCA ($500/$1,000), respectively. for placing fifth overall ($1,000) and placing first Ashburn, VA in the Push-Rim Wheelchair division
Championships produced our deepest field of elite Clint McKelvey, Washington, DC, who placed among American women ($5,000). Chepngeno in a time of 1:08:06. There were no women push-rim
athletes in recent memory,” added Stewart. “So deep that 26 , was the first local man to cross the finish line, placed sixth, winning $900. wheelchair competitors.
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we nearly ran out of elite bib numbers. That has never running a time of 50:14. “After being injured since November, I was just In the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 5k Run-Walk,
happened before.” Brock Butler, Chester Springs, PA, was the top happy to be out there racing and doing what I presented by Hood Cottage Cheese, Logan Yu, East
In his inaugural trip to the United States, and master, running 53:04, 50-seconds ahead of ultra- love,” said Nukuri. “Getting fifth place and being Brunswick, NJ, and Hibah Abuhamdieh, Athens, GA,
on the heels of a 59:00 half marathon performance marathoner and mega-racer Michael Wardian, the first American was a great start for me. I am were victorious running times of 16:05 and 20:24,
earlier this year, Ethiopian Jemal Yimer bested his Arlington, VA. already looking forward to next year.” respectively.
nearest competitor, Aweke Ayalew, from Bahrain, Mark Neff, Derwood, MD, snuck under Four other Americans rounded out the top 10 Dixon Hemphill, Fairfax Station, VA, who recently
by five seconds to win the men’s race in a time of one hour to run 59:52, the fastest time by a permitting those athletes to “double dip” and earn turned 93-years-young—the oldest competitor in either
46:17. grandmaster, or runners aged 50 through 59. Both top-10 overall and top-10 American prize money. field (5k or 10 miles)—ran 1:06:44 in the 5k Run-Walk
For much of the race, Yimer remained tucked Butler and Neff were crowned RRCA National Emma Bates, Boise, ID, won a total of $4,500 for to finish a Cherry Blossom event for the 30th time since
in behind the leaders, who hit the first mile in Champions in their age groups along with Stephen her 54:45 run ($800 for seventh, $2,500 for second 1984, bringing his total miles raced at the Runner’s Rite
a comfortable 4:45. The lead pack maintained Chantry, first in the 60+ category, in 1:04:51. American). She also earned $1,200 for being the of Spring® to 245.
that pace until they reached Hains Point, about In a reversal of fortunes, Buze Diriba, who first female RRCA Road Scholar/RunPRO camper. Hemphill has some catching up to do if he’s planning
seven-and-half miles into the race at which point placed second at Cherry Blossom in 2016 and Bethany Sachtleben, Alexandria, VA, was the on challenging Ben Beach, Bethesda, MD, who has
Philip Langat, of Kenya, split 4:26 for the eighth 2017, bested Ethiopian countrywoman, Hiwot first local female to cross the finish line, placing completed every edition of Cherry Blossom since
mile, splintering the pack that was once a dozen Gebrekidan, last year’s champion, by three eighth to win $2,200 ($700/$1,500); Samantha 1973, netting a total of 460 miles raced in the streets of
runners into a quartet. Yimer held back as Langat seconds to win the women’s race in a time of 53:45. Bluske, Toledo, OH, placed ninth and won $1,600 Washington, D.C.
continued to tighten the screws, until finally Unlike the men, the elite women ran the ($600/$1,000); and Aliphine Tuliamuk, Flagstaff, “I was thinking it might be exciting to have
surging to the lead a mile-and-half before the beginning of their race in a large pack at a AZ, won $1,300 total ($500/$800) for her 10 place snowflakes mixing with the cherry blossoms for
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finish line. Ayalew attempted to match his stride, relatively conservative pace, ticking off their first finish. the first time,” joked Beach, “but I was grateful that
but Yimer took sole command of the race at mile three miles in a comfortable 5:50, 5:32 and 5:49. The ever-improving forty-six-year-old Perry we ended up with a dry, sunny day. Hats off to the
nine, and never looked back. After splitting 5:12 for the fourth mile, the lead Shoemaker, Vienna, VA, was the top master, running a volunteers who pushed themselves out of warm
“It’s good, I am happy,” Yimer, just 21-years-old, pack shrunk to just six, which included Diriba, time of 58:56, her fastest time ever on the course. beds at 4 a.m. to help us from start to finish!”
said after the race. Gebrekidan, their compatriots Hiwott Yimer and “I love to run, to race, to compete, said Shoemaker. His time of 1:50:03 came just eight days before
Yimer won a total of $10,500—$8,000 for the Alemitu Hawi, Kenyan Vicoty Chepngeno, and “It’s easy to do, just put on a pair of running shoes, head the “streaker” made his annual pilgrimage to Mas-
overall win, and $2,500 for becoming the 2017- American Diane Nukuri, from Flagstaff, AZ. out the door, see where they take you. I look forward to sachusetts for his 51 consecutive (yes, you read
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2018 Professional Road Running Organization The sextet continued to press the pace through running for years to come!” that correctly) Boston Marathon. (Beach finished
(PRRO) Champion, as well as the 2018 Road the second half of the course, further distancing Fifty-two-year-old Mimi Fallon, Walpole, MA, Boston in 5:48:35.)
Race Club of America (RRCA) National 10 Mile themselves from the other competitors. With triumphed over fellow grandmasters with a time of Look for Beach to be among the 15,000 runners
Champion. Ayalew placed second, and won $4,000 less than a quarter mile left in the race, all six 1:05:07, a pace that averaged six minutes, 31 seconds per mile. who will toe the line at the 47 edition of the Cred-
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for his efforts; Langat, who helped break open the runners were still in contention for the win, but a Joan Benoit Samuelson, Freeport, ME, the 1984 gold it Union Cherry Blossom Ten Miler, scheduled for
race, placed third and won $2,000; his Kenyan determined Diriba surged to the lead about 200 medalist in the inaugural women’s Olympic marathon Sunday, April 7, 2019.
2018 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run 5