Gebrselassie Wows, Kibet Wins at NYC Half-Marathon
Ethiopian superstar runs 59:24, the second-fastest time ever in North America

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Posted Monday, 6 August, 2007

From NYRR

NEW YORK - (August 5, 2007) - Haile Gebrselassie, the double Olympic gold medalist and multiple record-holder from Ethiopia, won the second annual NYC Half-Marathon Presented by NIKE on Sunday morning, clocking 59 minutes, 24 seconds, the second-fastest time half-marathon time ever on North American soil. Kenyan Hilda Kibet triumphed for the women, edging her countrywoman and the defending champ, Catherine Ndereba, 1:10:32 to 1:10:33.

The pace was quick from the start as "Geb," USA 10K and 10,000 meter champion Abdi Abdirahman and defending Boston Marathon and LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon champ Robert K. Cheruiyot opened with a 14:11 5K (4:33-per-mile pace) despite the hilly Central Park terrain.

"It wasn't what I was expecting, those first few miles," said Gebrselassie, 34, who thanked Abdirahman and Cheruiyot for setting a fast early pace. "I thought maybe we'd just run easy in a big pack, then start to run hard later." An unexpected break in the warm, humid weather of the past week made for near-ideal summer racing conditions.

As the lead trio exited the park onto Seventh Avenue at 7.5 miles (12K), Cheruiyot reached for a drink at a fluid station. Abdirahman, a two-time Olympian, seized the opportunity to bolt into the lead.

Gebrselassie covered the move. "When I caught him, he asked me to go," he recounted, flashing his trademark smile. "I thought maybe he wanted me to be the rabbit, but I felt good, so I went. He didn't catch me again."

The runners continued south through the heart of Times Square, past the giant NASDAQ screen flashing WABC Channel 7 race coverage, west onto 42nd Street and then south again at 15K (9.3 miles) onto the West Side Highway for the drive to the finish just north of historic Battery Park.

Gebrselassie maintained his lead with apparent ease, cruising to victory more than a minute in front of Abdirahman, 30, who ran a personal-best 1:00:29. Abdirahman will compete in the 10,000 meters at the IAAF World Championships in Osaka later this month.

Only Gebrselassie has run faster in North America - he clocked 58:55, a then world record, in Phoenix early last year - and collected his eighth half-marathon victory in as many attempts over the distance.

Cheruiyot, 28, was third in 1:00:58 and was transported to a hospital for observation due to dizziness; he was later released.

Kibet, a 26-year-old cousin of IAAF World Cross Country champion Lornah Kiplagat, scored the biggest win of her career with her down-to-the-wire victory. She was part of a tight women's pack that also included Ndereba and Yuri Kano of Japan, with Nina Rillstone of New Zealand not far off the back. Aided by a tailwind, the quartet ran hard through the final miles; Kibet pulled ahead only in the final meters.

"I only knew I had it won when I crossed the finish line," said Kibet, who nonetheless was not surprised by her victory. "I have been training well and having good results all year."

Rillstone's third place in 1:10:35 broke her own national record. She will run the IAAF World Championships Marathon in Osaka on September 2. "I didn't get the practice running in heat and humidity today that I was expecting," she said, "but I'm really happy to get a national record."

Just under 10,000 runners finished the race, which is put on by New York Road Runners, whose premier event is the ING New York City Marathon.

2nd NYC Half-Marathon Presented by NIKE
New York, NY, Sunday, August 5, 2007

MEN
1) Haile Gebrselassie (ETH), 59:24, $10,000
2) Abdi Abdirahman (USA / AZ), 1:00:29, $7500
3) Robert K. Cheruiyot (KEN), 1:00:58, $5000
4) James Kwambai (KEN), 1:01:03, $3500
5) Joseph Chirlee (KEN), 1:02:47, $2000
6) Alan Culpepper (USA / CO), 1:03:34, $1500
7) Demesse Tefera (ETH), 1:03:36, $1000
8) Worku Beyi (ETH), 1:03:39, $750
9) Gurmessa Megerssa (ETH), 1:03:53, $500
10) Dylan Wykes (CAN), 1:04:04, $250

WOMEN
1) Hilda Kibet (KEN), 1:10:32, $10,000
2) Catherine Ndereba (KEN), 1:10:33, $7500
3) Nina Rillstone (NZL), 1:10:35, $5000
4) Yuri Kano (JPN), 1:11:05, $3500
5) Madai Perez (MEX), 1:11:20, $2000
6) Megumi Oshima (JPN), 1:11:35, $1500
7) Akemi Ozaki (JPN), 1:13:37, $1000
8) Zoila Gomez (USA / CO), 1:13:49, $750
9) Azziza Aliyu (ETH), 1:13:58, $500
10) Alemtsehay Misganaw (ETH), 1:14:04, $250

Complete results at: www.NYRR.org

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