Bolder Boulder 10K

Boulder, CO, May 28, 2001

Race report/results courtesy of Running USA.

Drossin, Koskei Win Bolder Boulder

By Michael Sandrock, Running USA wire

BOULDER, Colo. - Deena Drossin came to the Bolder Boulder 10K on Memorial Day looking for redemption after a poor month of training and a self-described less-than stellar year.

Drossin, winner of the 2000 Olympic Trials 10,000 meters and the American record holder for 5K on the roads, got all she came for and more in winning the Bolder Boulder in 33:25, leading the United States to third place in the team competition, its highest ever.

She also got the loudest cheers inside the University of Colorado football stadium, (where the race finishes) since CU won the national football title; the admiration of scores of cute little kids who eagerly sought her autograph, and a substantial $20,500, the biggest payday ever given to an individual at the race and part of a record total of $153,000 in prize money.

Drossin's win was the highlight of a patriotic day that saw the men also place third, their highest ever as well. "I had no idea what the prize money was here," Drossin said, taking a break from signing photos for scores of adoring kids (one of whom said "Deena is so cool").

"The money is great. But this is why I run, for the fans and for my teammates," she said, with a sweep taking in the crowd of 40,000.

Drossin, a five-time national cross country champ, used a patient, smart race to pull away the last three miles and pick up just the second win by an American since 1984 (Libbie Hickman won the 1997 race). Drossin of Alamosa, Colo. hung back as Kenyan Sally Barsosio led the field through a 5:14 first mile. By 2 miles, passed in 10:44, Drossin was running fifth. Just past halfway, Barsosio faded and it was down to Drossin and 18-year-old Ethiopian Ejagayou Dibaba. A 5:20 split from mile 4 to 5 gave Drossin an eight-second lead that she extended to 17 seconds by the end.

Drossin had a big enough lead that she was able to wave a small American flag in the stadium and wave to the crowd of 40,000 many of whom had earlier run the citizens' race. (There were 44,372 registered, 60 less than last year).

"This is my homestate and I wanted to put on a show and redeem myself for a poor season," said Drossin. "I am really happy. Today I wanted to stay conservative. I worked to catch Sally and the leaders slowly."

Drossin's win inspired the U.S. men's team as well. "Deena was incredible," said Shawn Found, 20th in the men's race. "That fired us up; it was hard to hold back at the start. I told myself to chill and relax."

Kenyans James Koskei took the men's race in 29 flat, followed by defending champ Joseph Kimani (29:29) and Jose Castillo of Peru (29:31). The U.S. runners - the others were Clint Wells in seventh and Peter De La Cerda (16th) - all used smart racing in running to the best U.S. men's finish ever, giving many in attendance reason for optimism. The women's previous best was sixth, the men's seventh.

"This is another bright spot this year," said USA Track & Field president Bill Roe. "This shows American distance running is not dead. It was just so exciting to see Deena, Clint and their teammates today."

"Outstanding," added Joe Vigil, coach of Team USA Southern California. "I was very, very pleased, and I think everyone was surprised. This shows that American runners can run with anyone, with the best in the world."

And some of the best were in Boulder this Memorial Day. Drossin beat five excellent Ethiopian and Kenyan runners, including 1997 World Championship gold medalist Barsosio and 2001 Bay to Breakers winner Jane Ngotho and 2000 New York City Marathon winner Ludmila Petrova (third in 33:54).

The men included Koskei, winner of Bay to Breakers and four other major North American road races this year, Joseph Kimani, former 10K road world record holder, Mexican star Armando Quintanilla, Australian 10K national record holder Shaun Creighton and Boston marathon second place finisher Silvio Guerra. You get the picture.

Kenya took the men's and women's title. The women had a winning total of 15 points, just one ahead of Russia. The Ethiopians had one runner drop out and did not score, leaving the door open for the U.S. With Drossin in first, Team USA Southern California teammate Milena Glusac in 10th (eighth in the team competition) and Sarah Toland (23rd, 21st in the team), the U.S. scored 30 points.

Toland, 22, who was eighth in the 8K winter cross country nationals, was a last-minute addition when Sylvia Mosqueda pulled out. Friday, the Boulder resident did a workout of 14x400 meters in 72 seconds, then found out Saturday she was needed to run.

Kenya, with a 1-2-5 finish scored eight points on the men's side, ahead of Peru (29) and U.S. (39). The U.S. finished just four points ahead of Morocco, and the difference was a ferocious kick by Shawn Found, fourth-place finisher in the 2000 Olympic Trials 10,000. Found passed five world class runners in the last 800 meters to give U.S. third place.

"I have to praise my teammates," said Wells, fifth in the 2000 Olympic Trials steeplechase. "Everything came together well for us."

Added De La Cerda, "At Adams State our motto was 'give it all for the team.' I used to bleed green and white (at Adams State). Today I was bleeding red, white and blue for the U.S. It was so inspirational to see the women and hear the crowd. We came through together as a team and it was exciting. The U.S. is back on track. Don't ever say running is dead here. It just took us a while to get back."

For more Bolder Boulder stories and real audio clips, check out www.thedailycamera.com. Full results are available at www.bolderboulder.com.

23rd Bolder Boulder 10K Monday, May 28, 2001

WOMEN Team - 1. Kenya (15), $15,000; 2. Russia (16), $9,000; 3. United States (30), $6,000, plus $15,000 U.S. Olympic training funds); 4. Mexico (38) $4,500; 5. Romania (41), $3,000; 6. Japan (43), $2,250; 7. Eucador (51) $1,500; 8. Great Britain (66); 9. South Africa (80); 10. Poland (85)...Ethiopia (only two runners competed)

Individuals - 1. Deena Drossin, USA, 33:25, ($3,000, $9,000 U.S. Olympic training funds, $1,500 time bonus - $13,500); 2. Ejagayou Dibaba, Ethiopia, 33:42, $2,750; 3. Ludmila Petrova, Russia, 33:54, $2,250; 4. Svetlana Zakharova, Russia, 34:06, $1,500; 5. Sally Barsosio, Kenya, 34:17, $1,250; 6. Jane Ngotho, Kenya, 34:29, $1100; 7. Jane Omoro, Kenya, 34:29, $1000; 8. Nora Leticia Rocha, Mexico, 34:31, $400; 9. Eyerusalem Kuma, Ethiopia, 34:35, $300; 10. Milena Glusac, USA, 34:40, $200, plus 200 U.S. Olympic training funds....23. Sarah Toland, USA, 35:52.

MEN Teams - 1. Kenya (8), $15,000; 2. Peru (29), $9,000; 3. United States (39), $6,000 plus $15,000 U.S. Olympic training funds; 4. Morocco (43), $4,500; 5. Ethiopia (47), $3,000; 6. Colombia (53), $2,250; 7. South Africa (55), $1,500; 8. Ecuador (66); 9. Australia (67); 10. Russia (79); 11. Great Britain (87); 12. Romania (93); ... Japan, Mexico, New Zealand did not have three runners finish.

Individuals - 1. James Koskei, Kenya, 29:00, ($3,000, $1,500 time bonus); 2. Joseph Kimani, Kenya, 29:29, ($2,000, $1,500 time bonus); 3. Jose Castillo, Peru, 29:31 ($1,500, $750); 4. Elarbi Khattabi, Morocco, 29:37 ($1,000, $750); 5. Dominic Kirui, Kenya, 29:38, ($750, 750); 6. Tekeste Kebede, Ethiopia, 29:39 ($600, $750); 7. Clint Wells, USA, 29:51 ($500, $500 U.S. Olympic training funds, $500); 8. Diego Colorado, Colombia, 29:57 ($400, $750); 9. Simon Mpholo, South Africa, 30:02 ($300, $500); 10. Armando Quintanilla, Mexico, 30:04 ($200, $500) ... 16. Peter De La Cerda, USA, 30:24 ... 20. Shawn Found, USA, 30:24.

Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Services 
USATF Road Running Information Center 
5522 Camino Cerralvo, Santa Barbara, CA 93111 
(805) 696-6232, fax (805) 696-6252 
http://www.usaldr.org 
http://www.runningusa.org