Posted: June 1, 2007

Athletics (RRW): Johnson Headlines Freihofer's Run For Women Saturday

From David Monti © 2007 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com Defending champion Benita Johnson headlines Saturday's Freihofer's Run for Women 5-K in Albany, N.Y., her first racing appearance since the Flora London Marathon last April. "I had a fantastic race last year in Albany and can't wait to come back again," Johnson said in a prepared statement. "The mix of top international competitors and great atmosphere created by the people of Albany along the course helped bring out my very best performance." For Johnson Freihofer's was her first-ever road racing victory in the United States. She not only had to overcome a strong international field, but literally splashed her way to the finish line in a torrential downpour. "The rain certainly didn't dampen my spirit during the event," she added. The long-time USA 5-K Championshipship for women, race director George Regan threw open the race to international competitors in 2005, and Johnson will have to defeat athletes from Ethiopia, Great Britain, Kenya, Morocco, Russia, Ukraine, and the United States to notch her second victory. Her chief rival is likely to be Teyba Erkesso, the Ethiopian who won last April's Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10-Mile in Washington, D.C., in an ARRS all-women's world record of 52:11. That was just one of three victories she has earned on the North American roads this year. Clearly in top form, she ran a personal best 31:13:67 for 10,000m in Utrecht on May 17. The Freihofer's course record holder, Asmae Leghzaoui, is also in the field. In the controversial 2005 edition of the race, she ran 15:18 (15:17.6) shortly after returning to action after serving a two-year suspension for using EPO. She also competed last year, but finished a disappointing 11th. Last year's runner-up, Nataliya Berkut of Ukraine, is also back this year. She finished just two seconds behind Johnson, 15:27 to 15:29. Also expected to contend for the podium are Mara Yamauchi of Great Britain, Emily Chebet of Kenya, and Dire Tune and Amane Gobena of Ethiopia. The top American in the field is Nicole Aish of Gunnison, Colo. She finished 10th last year. Regan also expects the masters competition at Freihofer's to be spirited. The sentimental favorite is Carmen Troncoso who will be making her 16th appearance at Freihofer's. The 48 year-old from Austin, Tex., has won the masters division at Freihofer's six times, five times earning the U.S. masters 5-K title. Troncoso will face Canada's Lucy Smith, a World Duathlon Championships silver medalist and six-time Canadian road 10-K champion; Boulder's Patty Murray, the 2007 U.S. masters cross country champion; and Russia's Firaya Sultanova-Zhdanova, who ran a 2:39:06 marathon at the Chevron Houston Marathon last January at age 45. The legendary Joan Samuelson of Freeport, Me., the 1984 Olympic gold medalist in the marathon, is also competing. She turned 50 earlier this month. A total purse of $27,000 is on the line with $10,000 going to the winner. NOTE: Race Results Weekly will have same-day coverage of this event from Albany --Ed. Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest