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Johnson Defends Freihofer’s Run for Women 5-K Title

Posted June 3rd, 2007 at 8:45 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Johnson_Benita_Freihofers_2006 Pulling away from course record holder Asmae Leghzaoui with 800m to go, Benita Johnson defended her title at the 29th Freihofer’s Run for Women 5-K here today. Breaking the finish tape in 15 minutes and 22 seconds, she earned $10,000 for her victory.

Johnson, 28, the 2004 IAAF World Cross Country 8-K champion, carefully metered her effort today, hanging back a bit in the first kilometer (which is uphill) after Kenya’s Rose Kosgei went right to the front with Leghzaoui. Johnson would have none of it.

“I was running smart today,” said the Australian after the race.

Leghzaoui was still on the front of a lead pack of seven through 2 km (6:11), then put in a surge which quickly broke the race open. Leaving Washington Park before the 3-K mark, the race was already down to just Johnson and Leghzaoui. They ran side by side on Western Avenue, hitting 3-K in 9:22, with third place Teyba Erkesso of Ethiopia well behind. As Johnson worked the tangents of the twisting course, the athletes separated and came back together a few times.

“I wanted to run five kilometers this year, not 5.1 kilometers,” said Johnson who couldn’t take advantage of the best racing lines on the course last year because of huge puddles caused by heavy rains.

Of the two, Johnson looked smoother, but both women were working hard.

“I know she was hurting as much as me,” Johnson said of the tiny Moroccan.

The pair split 4-K together in 12:30 as the pace sagged in anticipation of the final push to the line. Leaving the park a few meters later, Leghzaoui fell back half a step, and clipped Johnson slightly. There was some further contact, as both women were tired and were just trying to stay in control of their strides.

“I kind of like that in racing,” said Johnson of the contact. “You get a little and you give it back.”

With 800 meters to go, Johnson made her bid for victory, and pulled away gently at first. For good measure, she flew the final downhill 400 meters to the finish line in 63 seconds, showing none of the “slow legs” athletes sometimes feel shortly after leaving high altitude training (she arrived here earlier this week from Flagstaff, Ariz.).

“I felt sluggish yesterday,” said Johnson who is traveling with her husband and massage therapist, Cameron. “Today I felt pretty bouncy.”

Bouncy, indeed. Her finish time of 15:22 was only four seconds off of Leghzaoui’s record, despite warm and humid conditions here today. Leghzaoui, 30, was ten seconds back while Erkesso held on for third in 15:46. Dire Tune, another Ethiopian, passed Briton Mara Yamauchi in the final meters just before the finish line to take fourth in 15:51. Yamauchi finished one second behind her.

Over 3000 women registered for the race, amongst them 1984 Olympic Marathon gold medalist Joan Samuelson who turned 50 years-old last month. She finished 44th in 19:07, well behind masters champion Lucy Smith of Canada who ran 16:32.

“We like to thank Freihofer’s for 29 years of strong running,” Samuelson said on the public address system prior to the race. “I only wish I was 29.”

Top Results:
1. Benita Johnson, AUS, 15:22
2. Asmae Leghzaoui, MAR, 15:32
3. Teyba Erkesso, ETH, 15:46
4. Dire Tune, ETH, 15:51
5. Mara Yamauchi, GBR, 15:22
6. Emily Chebet, KEN, 15:59
7. Amane Gobena, ETH, 16:04
8. Silvia Skvortsova, RUS, 16:10
9. Emily McCabe, Queensbury, N.Y., 16:12
10. Nataliya Berkut, UKR, 16:28
11. Lucy Smith (40+), CAN, 16:32
12. Renee Gunning, Philadelphia, Pa., 16:38