Posted: July 4, 2007

Athletics (RRW): Irungu And Ayalew Win Peachtree; Abdirahman Is U.S. Champion

From David Monti © 2007 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com Martin Irungu Mathathi and Wude Ayalew won the men's and women's titles, respectively, at today's 38th annual Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, Ga., while Abdi Abdirahman won the USA national 10-K crown. Irungu, a Kenyan who runs for Japan's Suzuki team, broke the tape in 28:01 (unofficial) for his first Peachtree victory. Abdirahman, from Tucson, Ariz., was the second overall finisher in 28:12, while another Kenyan, Nicholas Kamakya, finished third in 28:20. Ryan Hall finished fifth to take second in the USA championship division. Ayalew, an Ethiopian, was timed in 31:44 (unofficial), also another first-time Peachtree winner. She was closely followed by Alice Timbilil of Kenya in 31:48, while American Katie McGregor of St. Louis Park, Minn., was third in 32:41. Ryan Hall's wife, Sara, finished fourth in 32:58. The women's race was not a USA championship. Both Irungu and Ayalew won $15,000 in prize money as overall champions. Abdirahman, who also won the U.S. 10,000m title last month in Indianapolis, earned $17,500 in prize money, including $10,000 for the U.S. title. With nearly 55,000 finishers last year, the Peachtree Road Race was deemed the second largest road race in the world by the USA Road Running Information Center, and is easily the world's largest 10-K. It is always held on Independence Day, July 4. Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest