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Abdirahman in Independence Day USA Title
By P.J. Christman
ATLANTA - (July 4, 2007) - Historically over the past few years, American men haven't made a strong Independence Day impact upon The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race in the challenging heat of the Georgian summer. But Arizonan Abdi Abdirahman, Californian Ryan Hall, Virginian Ed Moran and many other Americans, on hand for the USA Men's 10K Championship held in conjunction with the event, made sure the perennially formidable foreign contingent felt their presence.
Traditionally Africans have fared well over the hilly course passing from Lenox Square to Piedmont Park in Atlanta. This year was no exception, with Kenyan Martin Irungu winning the outright title in 28 minutes, one second.
Yet July 4th is America's Independence Day, and Abdirahman was about to claim the USA Men's 10K Championship with 28:11, although that wasn't the three-time U.S. 10,000 meter track champion's focus. "My main goal wasn't to win the U.S. title. It was to win the whole thing," he would say afterwards. "I tried."
Abdirahman did try. He came oh-so-close to carrying the day for the red, white and blue at the world's largest 10K road race. However, Kenyan Irungu wouldn't have it, and early on the scenario appeared just like the many years when Africans prevail, challenging the Americans to chase them through the cheering curbside enthusiasts before their Independence Day barbecues and fireworks.
Kenyan Irungu, who competes for Suzuki and lives in the Shizuoka Province of Japan, remains one of the top males competing over the 10,000m distance in the Pacific Island empire. With a personal best of 27:08, he attacked the Peachtree course with a series of 4:24-4:26 opening miles as if it was a flat 10,000m track.
Behind Irungu, Abdirahman hovered in fourth for the downhill sections. Yet the man, who trains in Tucson's summer heat that sometimes reaches more than 100 degrees, likes hills and between the 3 to 5 mile mark gradually passed Kenyans Peter Kamais, Boaz Cheboiywo and Nicholas Kamakya on the climbs and noisiest portions of the 6.2-mile course.
"I thought it would be tough to catch the guys," explained Abdirahman, "but I'm a strong hill runner, even though I didn't know how many I could catch."
While Abdirahman, 30, drew up alongside the Kenyan leader beyond mile five and the crest of the hills, a huge juggernaut of Americans, including U.S. 20K and half-marathon record holder Ryan Hall, was giving it their best July 4th effort. They were rolling about 200 meters behind the leaders when Hall, like a late series of aerial bombs in a fireworks display, suddenly began to explode from the pack.
"I was just kind of waiting to play it conservative," Hall said after signing a quick autograph for the shirtless Georgia State admirer who led the first 200m of the race, "because I knew it was a challenging course and I knew some of the guys would go out too hard. I wanted to give myself a shot to win."
Meanwhile, when they turned the 10th Street corner to descend the final half mile into the park, Irungu and Abdirahman both knew it was time for early shooting stars.
"We wanted to help each other," Abdirahman said of his adversary. "But when we had the downhill, I knew the race began now."
Irungu was well aware of the two-time U.S. Olympian. "I know Abdi is very strong," Irungu smiled afterwards, "so I had to do my best to run with him."
There was to be no running together, however, as the Kenyan with the faster personal best for the distance opened up 10 seconds on U.S. titlist and race runner-up Abdirahman.
"He was a better man today," Abdirahman said. "That's the sport. You win some, you lose some."
Following Abdirahman's 28:11 and Kenyan-from-Santa Fe's Nicholas Kamakya's 28:20, was Kenyan Boaz Cheboiywo's 28:25.
Behind those four, Hall, 24, really made the second half count, passing many on the way to a fifth overall and second-U.S-finisher 28:34 The fastest U.S. first-time marathoner, even though from high school onward used to being in front while racing, attributed his successful coming-from-behind approach to the Olympic marathon gold medalist from Italy. "I was thinking about Baldini and how he runs," the Team Running USA athlete related. "I learned a lot in London. I thought: I've got to be smart like him, without being up front."
In the women's race, Ethiopian Wude Ayalew and Kenyan Alice Timbilil started fast and continued to 31:44 and 31:47 1st and 2nd placings. Team USA Minnesotan Katie McGregor, prepping for the IAAF World Champs 10,000m in Osaka, was third in 32:40, and U.S. 1500m finalist Sara Hall, originally in Atlanta just to support husband Ryan, finished an unexpected fourth in 32:57.
38th Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race: USA Men's 10K Championship - Atlanta, GA, Wednesday, July 4, 2007
MEN
1) Martin Irungu (KEN), 28:01, $15,000
2) Abdi Abdirahman (AZ), 28:11, $17,500*
3) Nicholas Kamakya (KEN), 28:20, $3000
4) Boaz Cheboiywo (KEN), 28:25, $2500
5) Ryan Hall (CA), 28:34, $8000*
6) Peter Kamais (KEN), 28:35, $1500
7) Simon Wangai (KEN), 28:46, $1000
8) Daniel Kipkoech (KEN), 28:51, $800
9) Ed Moran (VA), 28:51, $4700*
10) Worku Beyi (ETH), 28:52, $600
11) Jason Lehmkuhle (MN), 28:53, $3500*
12) Brian Sell (MI), 28:57, $1900*
13) Josh Moen (IA), 28:58, $1300*
14) Demesse Tefera (ETH), 29:00, $250
15) Chala Lemi (ETH), 29:01, $200
16) Justin Young (CO), 29:17, $900
17) Patrick Gildea (TN), 29:20, $800
18) Mbarak Hussein, 42, (NM), $2200
19) Celedonio Rodriguez (CA), 29:22, $600
20) Andrew Carlson (MN), 29:23, $500
22) Stephen Haas (IN), 29:33, $400
23) Fasil Bizuneh (AZ), 29:38, $300
27) Fernando Cabada (IN), 29:58, $200
28) Nicholas Hirsch (CO), 30:03, $100
*Includes Open prize money
WOMEN
1) Wude Ayalew (ETH), 31:44, $15,000
2) Alice Timbilil (KEN), 31:47, $7500
3) Katie McGregor (MN), 32:40, $4000+
4) Sara Hall (CA), 32:57, $3000+
5) Neria Asiba (KEN), 33:07, $2000
6) Kathy Butler (GBR), 33:26, $1500
7) Emily McCabe (NC), 33:30, $1300+
8) Jenny Crain (WI), 33:31, $800
9) Angelina Mutuku (KEN), 33:46, $700
10) Firaya Sultanova-Zhdanova, 46, (RUS), 34:01, $2100
11) Renee Gunning (PA), 34:06, $500
12) Sylvia Mosqueda, 41, (CA), 34:07, $1400
13) Gladys Asiba (KEN), 34:13, $300
14) Desiree Davila (MI), 34:14, $250
15) Dot McMahan (MI), 34:32, $200
+Includes U.S. bonus prize money
More results at: AtlantaTrackClub.org.
Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director
(805) 696-6232; Fax = (805) 659-0016
Ryan@RunningUSA.org
www.RunningUSA.org.
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