Team USA finishes fourth at International Chiba Ekiden
By Jim Estes, USATF
Posted Monday, 26 November, 2007
CHIBA, Japan - Team USA took fourth place at the 2007 International Chiba Ekiden on Friday in Chiba, Japan, finishing in 2:09:05. The host team from Japan won the event in 2:05:56, defeating defending champion Kenya by 1:10. Russia was third in 2:08:00.
Now in its 19th year, the format of the race was revised to feature mixed teams of men and women running six alternating legs totaling 42.195 km as follows: 1st leg, Men 5 km; 2nd leg, Women 5 km; 3rd leg, Men 10 km; 4th leg, Women 5 km; 5th leg, Men 10 km; 6th leg, Women 7.195 km.
Team USA was led off by Pan American Games 5,000 meter gold medalist Ed Moran (Williamsburg, Va.) who ran the opening 5 km in 13:33 to finish third on his leg. Moran then handed off to Desiree Davila (Rochester Hills, Mich.) for a 5 km leg where she turned in a personal best of 16:11 to put team USA in fourth-place as she handed off to Scott Bauhs (Danville, Calif.) for a 10 km leg. Bauhs also ran a personal best of 28:31 for his 10 km leg to move Team USA into third.
Heading into the fourth leg, Bauhs handed off to Melissa White (Rochester Hills, Mich.) who ran 16:40 for her 5 km leg. As Team USA battled with Russia for third-place, White handed off to Ryan Sheehan for the fifth leg which he would cover in 29:31 for the 10 km. As Sheehan handed off to Stephanie Rothstein (Eugene, Ore.) for the final 7.195 km leg, which se covered in 24:39, Russia had pulled away from the U.S. for third.
During the team relay, an accompanying 5, 000 meter track race was held in the stadium for team alternates, Team USA's Casey Owens (Des Moines, Iowa) won the women's race with a personal best of 16:11.99. Josh Moen (Waterloo, Iowa), finished second in the men's race, also running a personal best of 13:53.31.
Now in its 19th year, the format of the race has been revised to feature mixed teams of men and women running six alternating legs totaling 42.195 km as follows: 1st leg, Men 5 km; 2nd leg, Women 5 km; 3rd leg, Men 10 km; 4th leg, Women 5 km; 5th leg, Men 10 km; 6th leg, Women 7.195 km.
For more information on the 2007 International Chiba Ekiden visit www.usatf.org.
Contact:
Jim Estes
Senior Manager of LDR and Marketing
USA Track & Field
317-713-4661
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