Saturday May 22, 1999
| Race Report Saturday May 22, 1999 |
NEW YORK (May 22, 1999) - Kenya's Tegla Loroupe broke away from the best ever field in the history of the New York Mini Marathon with two miles to go en route to the Avon Running New York Mini Marathon title today in New York City's Central Park. It is the fourth time Loroupe has won the event. She covered the 10K course in 31:48, finishing comfortably ahead of second-place finisher Gete Wami (32:00), the reigning World Cross Country champion from Ethiopia who made her first competitive appearance in the United States. Lidia Simon of Romania (32:01) finished third.
Loroupe claimed $15,000 for finishing first while Wami was awarded $10,000 for second. Simon earned $7,000 for her third-place finish. A total of $50,000 in prize money, the richest women's 10K purse, was shared among the top 10 overall finishers and the top three masters division finishers.
The 28th running of the original and most prestigious women's-only 10K run and 5K fun run/walk, sponsored by Avon Products, Inc., also featured the inaugural Avon Running Global Women's Championship. In all, 6,633 women participated, representing 21 countries and featuring the winners from the 1998 Avon Running Global Women's Circuit from Brazil, Canada, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Thailand, the United States and Venezuela.
The world-class field elicited predictions that Grete Waitz' 19-year-old race record (31:00, 1980) might be in jeopardy. Despite the expectations, it was not to be on a warm (80-degree temperatures) day. American Anne Marie Lauck (Hampton, NJ) clocked a moderate 5:24 first mile to take the lead. As the runners traversed the hills in Miles 2 and 3, the pace continued to lag, with Wami, the 1996 Olympics 10K bronze medallist, leading the pack in 15:47 after Mile 3.
Loroupe then took control of the race on the downhills of Central Park. She gained the lead firmly at Mile Four (20:54) with Wami and Simon trailing. Loroupe then clocked the first sub-5:00 mile (4:50) to maintain the lead after Mile Five (25:44).
"I'm so happy to win this race for the fourth time," Loroupe said. "No one wanted to break away early on. But I am lucky that I know this course so well. I knew that the last two kilometers aren't difficult so I decided to make my move then."
"I'm not so strong on the downhills," said Wami of Loroupe's move. "Tegla was too fast at that point to keep up with but I thought I might be able to catch her later."
Loroupe entered the day as the race favorite based on her impressive record in New York. In addition to three previous New York Mini Marathon titles (1993, 1996 and 1997), Loroupe has also won two New York City Marathon titles (1994 and 1995).
"When you have such a great field, the race tends to be more tactical," explained South African Elana Meyer (6th place, 32:29), who won the Olympic silver medal in the 10K in 1996. "We went out at more of a marathon pace and not a 10K pace."
"It's tough to run so well and finish 10th (32:39)," said Libbie Hickman (Fort Collins, CO) the top American finisher. "But you want to be part of such a great event to help promote the sport. With a field like this, you might not win but Avon and the New York Road Runners Club treat us like queens and there is a responsibility as elite runners to promote women's running."
Maura Viceconte (Turin, Italy), the reigning Avon Running National Champion from Italy (1998 and 1999), was the first Avon Circuit winner across the finish line, capturing 13th place in 33:18. Viceconte recently won the Rome Marathon (2:29.36, March 21). Two-time European Games Marathon champion Manuela Machado of Portugal finished 15th in a time of 33:29.
"This was a very, very positive experience for me," said Viceconte, who plans to run the New York City Marathon for the first time in November. "I am not used to running against such a great field and I am very pleased with my finish."
Rita De Cassia Santos Jesus (Sao Paulo, Brazil), the 1998 Avon Running Brazil National Sales Representative Division champion, placed 30th (37:25) and was the first Avon Representative to finish.
Since its inception in 1972, more than 132,000 women have crossed the Central Park finish line of the New York Mini Marathon. Though women were making dramatic inroads into the male-dominated world of road running, the New York Road Runners Club, organizers of The New York City Marathon®, created the "Mini" as a women's-only platform for competitive racing. The race has grown from 78 competitors in 1972 to this year's field of 6,500 women.
Avon made a strong commitment in support of women's fitness during 1998, the first year of the Avon Running Global Women's Circuit. To realize its grass roots mission - "to bring women to the starting line of fitness" - Avon Running conducted 23 events in 12 countries, attracting more than 50,000 women to the Circuit's 10K runs and 5K walks, far exceeding expectations.
In addition to the Global Championship in New York, this year the Avon Running Global Women's Circuit expands, with 29 events in 12 countries. The 1999 international Circuit kicked off with a race on March 13 in Sao Paulo, Brazil and two races on March 14, in Santiago de Chile and Dagupan, Philippines. The Circuit visits 10 additional countries throughout the year. March 27th marked the start of the U.S. series with 10K Run and 5K Walk/Fun Run events in Dallas and continues to nine more cities around the country, including the Avon Running U.S. National Championship in Cincinnati on October 31. The 1999 Avon Running Global Women's Championship will take place in Milan, Italy next year.
Avon is the world's leading direct seller of beauty and related products, with $5.2 billion in annual revenues. Avon markets to women in 135 countries through 2.8 million independent sales representatives. Avon product lines include such recognizable brands as Anew, Skin-So-Soft, Avon Color, Far Away, Rare Gold, Millennia, Starring, Avon Skin Care and Women of Earth. Avon also markets an extensive line of fashion jewelry, apparel, gifts and collectibles. More information on Avon and its products can be found on the company's award winning website www.avon.com.
For further information on the Avon Running Global Women's Circuit call 212/282-5350 or visit the Avon Running Web site: www.avonrunning.com.
1999 Avon Running New York Mini Marathon May 22, 1999
Race Results
Place Name Country Time Prize Money 1 Loroupe, Tegla Kenya 31:48 $15,000 2 Wami, Gete Ethiopia 32:00 $10,000 3 Simon, Lidia Romania 32:01 $7,000 4 Chepkemei, Susan Kenya 32:20 $4,500 5 Kiplagat, Lornah Kenya 32:27 $2,500 6 Meyer, Elana South Africa 32:29 $2,000 7 Ngotho, Jane Kenya 32:36 $1,750 8 Omoro, Jane Kenya 32:36 $1,500 9 Ndereba, Catherine Kenya 32:39 $1,250 10 Hickman, Libbie Ft, Collins, CO 32:39 $1,000 11 Sagero, Eunice Kenya 32:39 12 Lauck, Anne Marie Hampton, NJ 33:00 13 Viceconte, Maura Italy 33:18 14 Petrova, Ludmila Russia 33:20 15 Machado, Manuela Portugal 33:29 16 Wanjiku, Teresa Kenya 33:41 17 Pozdnyakova, Tetyana Ukraine 33:45 18 Dita, Constantina Romania 33:50 19 Kimaiyo-Kosgie, Hellen Kenya 35:08 20 Griffin, Kim New York, NY 35:19
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