Tola Breaks Course Record at Healthy Kidney 10K
Defending champion Makau holds on for second place; Aliyu women's winner; record race field

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By NYRR
Posted Monday, 18 May, 2009

From Ryan Lamppa, Running USA

NEW YORK - (May 16, 2009) - Tadese Tola of Ethiopia made history by running 27 minutes, 48 seconds, the fastest 10K ever recorded in Central Park - at the 5th Healthy Kidney 10K on Saturday morning. This was his second match-up with Kenya's Patrick Makau in New York City and his second win, after last year's NYC Half-Marathon, in which he edged Makau by one second.

Tola and Makau ran the first half of the race side by side until Tola pulled away in the fourth mile. Judging by his form and the ease with which he won, Tola was in control of the race from start to finish. "After mile four, we were moving at a fast pace, and I was confident I'd have the record," said Tola afterward. "This was a good course for me, and I am very happy now."

Makau, recovering from his marathon debut - a fourth place finish in 2:06:14 at the Fortis Rotterdam Marathon little more than a month ago - took second in 28:28, nine seconds slower than his winning performance last year. "This was good to see my endurance - my body is coming back," he said. Boaz Cheboiywo of Kenya ran 28:31, good for third place in his Healthy Kidney debut.

Earlier this week, Tola said "If the temperature is good, I think I can break the record by running 27:56 or 27:58." In spite of the rain that fell intermittently during the race, Tola bettered his prediction and earned the Zayed Bonus for a course record. The $20,000 prize had been won only once before, by Dathan Ritzenhein in 2007. Tola crushed Ritzenhein's record by 20 seconds.

The frontrunners were followed by Wegayehu Tefera of Ethiopia (fourth), Stephen Chemlany of Kenya (fifth) and Worku Beyi of Ethiopia (sixth). Aziza Aliyu of Ethiopia won the women's race in 33:38.

More than 7,500 finishers, split fairly evenly between men and women, came out despite the fog and rain to be part of the fifth running of the Healthy Kidney 10K. The turnout was the largest ever for the event.

5th Healthy Kidney 10K
New York, NY, Saturday, May 16, 2009

MEN
1) Tadese Tola (ETH), 27:48*, $27,500
2) Patrick Makau (KEN), 28:28, $5000
3) Boaz Cheboiywo (KEN), 28:31, $3000
4) Wegayehu Tefera (ETH), 28:40, $2000
5) Stephen Chemlany (KEN), 28:41, $1000
6) Worku Beyi (ETH), 28:42, $750
7) Haron Lagat (KEN), 28:43, $500
8) Martin Fagan (IRL), 28:45, $250
9) Tesfaye Girma (ETH), 28:46
10) Abraham Ng'etich (KEN), 28:57
*course record (previous, 28:08, Dathan Ritzenhein, 2007)

WOMEN
1) Aziza Aliyu (ETH), 33:38
2) Hirut Mandefro (ETH), 33:41
3) Salome Kosgei (KEN), 34:20

Complete results at: www.NYRR.org

Related info:
Running USA

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