Kiprotich, Chepkurui Win 29th Jefferson Hospital Philadelphia Distance Run
De Reuck Shatters U.S. Masters Record

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Posted Monday, 18 September, 2006

PHILADELPHIA - (Sept. 17, 2006) - Under clear skies outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the men's and women's races at the 29th annual Jefferson Hospital Philadelphia Distance Run were won in almost identical fashion as each athlete displayed a powerful final kick inside 200 yards to the finish line. Kenyan Wilson Kiprotich, 26, covered the 13.1-mile distance in a time of 1 hour, 1 minute, 5 seconds on the men's side, while fellow Kenyan, 18-year-old Lineth Chepkurui won the women's race in 1:10:09.

Even though he finished second to Kiprotich, the race was controlled by American Abdi Abdirahman, 29, from Tucson, Ariz. Abdirahman was the only man testing the pack as he flirted with a U.S. half-marathon record pace through the majority of the race. The two-time Olympian finished in 1:01:07, the second fastest U.S. all-time performance behind Mark Curp's 1:00:55 here in 1985.

"I came here to run fast and I wasn't going to sit around and let it (the race) go slow," Abdirahman recounted.

Just after the men's pack turned south on to Kelly Drive, having crossed the Schuylkill River over Falls Bridge, the men were still tightly packed as they had been from the start of the race. At mile 10, the pace picked up dramatically as Abdirahman and Kiprotich began to pull away.

By mile 11, it was clear those two men would battle to the finish as they pushed a one-hour pace. Quickly closing on the finish line, 100 yards out, the pair was neck-and-neck before Kiprotich turned on his final kick and broke away, crossing the finish line unchallenged.

In the women's race, a lively and confident newcomer surprised the competition with her talent and finishing speed. Just over a year in to her professional running career, Chepkurui felt she took a significant step with her victory in Philadelphia's historic half-marathon.

"I was surprised by my performance, but I was confident today," Chepkurui said. "I trained very hard for this race."

Challenged only by fellow Kenyan Edna Kipalagat, Chepkurui displayed strong form in a talented field that included the 2000 Olympic Marathon gold medalist Naoko Takahashi of Japan.

By mile 5, the pack of 17 women had dwindled to eight with Chepkurui, Kiplagat and Takahashi at the front on a 70-minute pace. However, the pack began to string out as Chepkurui and Kiplagat started to take control at the 10K mark, opening a 20-second lead on the rest of the women.

The Kenyan lead continued to increase approaching mile 11 and attention turned briefly to American Colleen De Reuck, 42, as the elite masters runner, in sixth position overall, appeared to be on a masters' world record pace. De Reuck fell short of the world record by nine seconds finishing in 1:11:51, but the Boulder, Colo. resident shattered the U.S. masters record (she now holds 8 U.S. masters records - 5K to the marathon).

Just as the men had done only minutes before, Chepkurui and Kiplagat approached the finish side-by-side. When she realized Kiplagat did not have her finishing kick, Chepkurui turned on the speed and sprinted to her second career half-marathon win.

Over 11,000 participants made up the largest field ever for the 29th Jefferson Hospital Philadelphia Distance Run.

29th Jefferson Hospital Philadelphia Distance Run
Philadelphia, PA, Sunday, September 17, 2006

MEN
1) Wilson Kiprotich, 26, Kenya, 1:01:05, $8000
2) Abdi Abdirahman, 29, USA / AZ, 1:01:07, $5000
3) Sammy Kipketer, 26, Kenya, 1:01:25, $3000
4) Mohammed Amyn, 30, Morocco, 1:01:31, $2000
5) Samuel Ndereba, 28, Kenya, 1:01:51, $1500
6) Reuben Chebii, 24, Kenya, 1:01:57, $1250
7) Luke Kipkosgei, 30, Kenya, 1:02:01, $1000
8) Julius Kibet, 24, Kenya, 1:02:14, $750
9) Joseph Chirlee, 25, Kenya, 1:02:18, $600
10) David Kemboi, 23, Kenya, 1:02:31, $500

MASTERS Men (40+)
1) Darren De Reuck, 41, USA / CO, 1:12:45, $1000
2) Greg Watson, 40, USA / PA, 1:13:35, $500
3) Steve Metraux, 42, USA / PA, 1:13:43, $250

WOMEN
1) Lineth Chepkurui, 18, Kenya, 1:10:09, $8000
2) Edna Kiplagat, 26, Kenya, 1:10:12, $5000
3) Kathy Butler, 32, Great Britain, 1:11:05, $3000
4) Yurika Nakamura, 20, Japan, 1:11:20, $2000
5) Dulce Marie Rodriguez, 34, Mexico, 1:11:25, $1500
6) Colleen De Reuck, 42, USA / CO, 1:11:51*, $2250#
7) Kiyoko Shimahara, 29, Japan, 1:12:00, $1000
8) Naoko Takahashi, 34, Japan, 1:12:00, $750
9) Samia Akbar, 23, USA / VA, 1:13:13, $600
10) Magdalene Makunzi, 23, Kenya, 1:13:17, $500
*pending U.S. masters record (previous record, 1:13:57, Laurie Binder, Philadelphia, September 15, 1991)
#includes $1000 for winning the Masters title

MASTERS Women (40+)
1) De Reuck, see above
2) Stephanie Herbst-Luck, 40, USA / GA, 1:16:25, $500
3) Doreen McCoubrie, 44, USA / PA, 1:19:50, $250

Complete results at: RunPhilly.com

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