Glusac to Defend USA 25K Title at River Bank Run
The USA 25K Championships return to Fifth Third River Bank Run for the eighth consecutive year and like past editions, top U.S. and international fields are expected this Saturday. The U.S. women's field includes last year's national champion Milena Glusac and Sylvia Mosqueda, while three past USA 25K champions - Olympian Todd Williams (1999), Shawn Found (2000) and John Sence (1997-98) and last year's national runner-up Peter DeLaCerda headline the U.S. men's field.

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Posted Friday, 10 May, 2002

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - (May 9, 2002) - The USA 25K Championships return to
Fifth Third River Bank Run for the eighth consecutive year and like past
editions, top U.S. and international fields are expected this Saturday. The
U.S. women's field includes last year's national champion Milena Glusac and Sylvia Mosqueda, while three past USA 25K champions - Olympian Todd Williams (1999), Shawn Found (2000) and John Sence (1997-98) and last year's national runner-up Peter DeLaCerda headline the U.S. men's field. Last year's USA champion Chad Johnson was a late scratch.

"The 25th Annual Fifth Third River Bank Run promises to be a spectacular event on Saturday morning, May 11 with record participation numbers in the 25K and 5K events. Hosting the USA 25K Championship has again brought top American athletes to the streets of Grand Rapids, Michigan and we are expecting an exciting competition," said Kristen Aidif, Race Director

Last year, two-time New York City Marathon champion John Kagwe battled fellow Kenyan Ronald Mogaka until the final 800 meters before sprinting away to a 1:14:07 to 1:14:12 victory, #5 and #6 all-time performers, while Svetlana Zakharova of Russia defended her River Bank crown in 1:24:39 (a course record and #5 all-time). Emerging U.S. runners Chad Johnson and Milena Glusac, both members of the Team USA Distance Running program, captured their first USA titles in 1:16:11 (4th overall) and 1:26:05 (3rd overall) respectively.

Like last year, there is no clear U.S. men's favorite, but veterans like Todd
Williams, David Morris, Peter DeLaCerda and Eddy Hellebuyck and developing runners like Jim Jurcevich and Kyle Baker are likely contenders.

Here are the top U.S. men at the River Bank Run:

• Todd Williams, 33, (Knoxville, TN), 1992/1996 Olympian - 10,000m; 1999 USA Running Circuit Grand Prix champion; 1999 USA 25K champion; 17 U.S. titles (9
  road, 5 track and 3 cross country)
• David Morris, 30, (Albuquerque, NM), top U.S. at recent World Half-Marathon
  Championships (1:03:26, 26th); former U.S. marathon record holder (2:09:32)
• Peter DeLaCerda, 30, (Alamosa, CO), second 2001 USA 25K Championships; 2nd
  2000 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials; Team USA California
• Jim Jurcevich, 25, (Columbus, OH), 36th at recent World Half-Marathon
  Championships (1:03:51, PR); 6th 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials 10,000m
• Kyle Baker, 26, (Mason, MI), 2002 Hillsdale Relays 10,000m winner
  (28:34.79)
• Mike Donnelly, 27, (Providence, RI), 3rd 2001 USA 25K Championships
• Kevin Collins, 31, (Alamosa, CO), 2002 Valley of Sun Marathon winner
  (2:17:31)
• Shawn Found, 30, (Boulder, CO), 2000 USA 25K champion
• John Sence, 31, (Cincinnati, OH), 1997 USARC Grand Prix champion; 1997-98
  USA 25K champion
• Eddy Hellebuyck, 41, (Albuquerque, NM), top master
• Jerry Lawson, 35, (Jacksonville, FL), former U.S. marathon record holder
  (2:09:35); 1993 Old Kent River Bank champion
• Peter Sherry, 33, (Great Falls, VA), silver medalist at 1991 World
  University Games 5000m
• Paul Aufdemberge, 37, (Redford, MI), 1999 USA 25K national runner-up
  

In the women's USA Championship race, Milena Glusac of Fallbrook, Calif. returns to defend her title. 2001 was a breakout year for the 26-year-old Glusac as the Team USA California athlete won three U.S. road titles (20K, half-marathon and 25K) and the USA Running Circuit Grand Prix. Thus far in 2002, the Oregon graduate has finished 5th at the USA Cross Country 8K Championships and USA 15K Championships (49:42, personal record) and 23rd at the World Cross Country 8K Championships which helped the U.S. team win the silver medal.

Her main competitors for the national crown should be:

• Sylvia Mosqueda, 36, (Los Angeles, CA), 7th 2002 City of Los Angeles
  Marathon (2:36:38 - personal record); 3rd 2001 USARC Grand Prix; 1988 NCAA
  10,000 meter champion
• Jeanne Hennessy, 24, (Mahopac, NY), 5th 2001 USA Marathon Championships
  (2:39:58)
• Connie Buckwalter, 31, (Lancaster, PA), 2002 Penn Relays Distance Classic
  20K winner (1:14:52)
• Linda Somers Smith, 41, (San Luis Obispo, CA), 1996 Olympic marathoner; 5th
  2001 USA 25K Championship
• Michele Byrne-McGoldrick, 29, (Dallas, TX), 4th 2000 USA 25K Championship
• Kim Jones, 44, (Ft. Collins, CO), 1997 USA 25K champion and USARC champion
• Jane Welzel, 47, (Ft. Collins, CO), 1996 USA 25K champion
  

The River Bank 25K is also the next stop on the 2002 USA Running Circuit - a USA Track & Field road series featuring USA Championships from 5K to the marathon. The 2002 USARC, the eighth edition for the men and seventh for the women, offers over $340,000 in championship prize money plus a $25,000 grand prix purse.

Per USARC race, the first ten U.S. runners earn points (15 for first, 12 for
second, 10 for third, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1) with a final $12,500 grand prix
purse ($6000, $4000 and $2500) for the top three men and women point scorers overall.

Total race prize purse equals $78,100 including a $21,200 USA Championship purse. U.S. men and women will compete for $10,600 respectively ($4000, $2000, $1500, $1000, $600, $500, $400, $300, $200 and $100). The top three finishers overall will earn $4000, $2000 and $1500 respectively. There is also a Fifth Third World Record bonus of $5000.

U.S. Records
1:14:38 Ed Eyestone INB Stepahead Stampede, IN 10/13/91
1:24:43 Joan Samuelson Old Kent River Bank Run, MI 05/10/86
U.S. All-Comers
1:13:55 Joseph Kariuki (KEN) Old Kent River Bank Run, MI 05/09/98
1:24:27 Jill Hunter (GBR) INB Stepahead Stampede, IN 10/13/91
World Records
1:13:55 Joseph Kariuki (KEN) Old Kent River Bank Run, MI 05/09/98
1:22:31 Naoko Takahashi (JPN) real Berlin Marathon split, GER 09/30/01

NOTE: Rodgers Rop's 1:13:44 at the Berlin 25K on May 6, 2001 is a pending
world record.

The challenging loop course starts and finishes in downtown Grand Rapids. In conjunction with the championship race, the 25th annual event also has a 5K run/walk and kids' run (River Bank Run Junior - held May 8). Overall, race officials expect over 10,000 participants for the silver edition. Past winners of the country's largest 25K (3,675 finishers in 2001) include running greats Bill Rodgers, Greg Meyer, Herb Lindsay and 1984 Olympic marathon gold medalist Joan Samuelson.

Complete results available on May 11 after 4:00pm EST at the race website:
http://www.riverbankrun.com

Recent USA 25K Champions
1987 Greg Meyer 1:16:12 Old Kent River Bank Run, MI 05/09
1995 Keith Brantly 1:15:20 Old Kent River Bank Run, MI 05/13
1996 Alfredo Vigueras 1:15:21 Old Kent River Bank Run, MI 05/11
1997 John Sence 1:15:58 Old Kent River Bank Run, MI 05/10
1998 John Sence 1:16:15 Old Kent River Bank Run, MI 05/09
1999 Todd Williams 1:17:15 Old Kent River Bank Run, MI 05/08
2000 Shawn Found 1:17:45 Old Kent River Bank Run, MI 05/13
2001 Chad Johnson 1:16:11 Old Kent River Bank Run, MI 05/12

1986 Cathy Twomey 1:31:29 Deerbrook's, Joilet, IL 09/21
1987 Diane Brewer 1:28:17 Old Kent River Bank Run, MI 05/09
1995 Elaine Van Blunk 1:27:14 Old Kent River Bank Run, MI 05/13
1996 Jane Welzel 1:29:47 Old Kent River Bank Run, MI 05/11
1997 Kim Jones 1:26:54 Old Kent River Bank Run, MI 05/10
1998 Shelly Steely 1:29:06 Old Kent River Bank Run, MI 05/09
1999 Chris McNamara 1:28:05 Old Kent River Bank Run, MI 05/08
2000 Kristin Beaney 1:28:53 Old Kent River Bank Run, MI 05/13
2001 Milena Glusac 1:26:05 Old Kent River Bank Run, MI 05/12

USA Running Circuit Standings

MEN
after two races
1) Abdi Abdirahman, 25, Tucson, AZ 19
2) Meb Keflezighi, 27, San Diego, CA 15
Tim Broe, 24, Ann Arbor, MI 15
4) Dan Browne, 26, Portland, OR 12
5) Clint Wells, 27, Boulder, CO 11
6) Alan Culpepper, 29, Louisville, CO 10
Anthony Famiglietti, 23, Knoxville, TN 10
8) Chris Graff, 26, Palo Alto, CA 7
Nolan Swanson, 26, Eugene, OR 7
10) Matt Downin, 25, Hampstead, NH 6

WOMEN
after one race
1) Deena Drossin, 29, Mammoth Lakes, CA 15
2) Elva Dryer, 30, Albuquerque, NM 12
3) Jen Rhines, 27, St. Davids, PA 10
4) Colleen DeReuck, 38, Boulder, CO 7
5) Milena Glusac, 26, Fallbrook, CA 6
6) Kim Fitchen, 33, Palo Alto, CA 5
7) Sylvia Mosqueda, 36, Los Angeles, CA 4
8) Magdalena Lewy, 28, Berkeley, CA 3
9) Jeanne Hennessy, 24, Mahopac, NY 2
10) Kelly Cordell, 32, San Luis Obispo, CA 1