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Africans Dominate Freihofer’s Run for Women

Posted May 30th, 2009 at 1:35 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Road Racing

Athletes from Africa dominated this morning’s Freihofer’s Run for Women, a 5 km invitational road race in Albany, N.Y. African women, led by Ethiopia’s Teyba Erkesso, filled the first five positions and eight out of the top-10.

For Erkesso, 26, it was her fourth road racing victory of the year in North America, good for a $10,000 payday. She clocked 15:27 (15:26.1) to finish three seconds ahead of compatriot Mamitu Daska, last Monday’s Dick’s Sporting Goods Bolder Boulder 10-K champion. Kenya’s Rose Kosgei was third in 15:39. Three-time defending champion, Benita Johnson of Australia, finished sixth.

Tera Moody was the top American finisher in 13th place (16:25), and 45 year-old Colleen De Reuck won the masters title in 16:39.

The depth of the field at Freihofer’s was noteworthy. Thirty-five women broke 18 minutes, and 54 women broke 19 minutes, according to Bob Teschek of Granite State Race Services, who timed the race. In all, there were 3685 finishers, up from 3097 last year.

Top-10 Results:
1. Teyba Erkesso, 26, ETH, 15:27
2. Mamitu Daska, 25, ETH, 15:30
3. Rose Kosgei, 25, KEN, 15:39
4. Genoveva Jelagat Kigen, 27, KEN, 15:41
5. Ashu Kasim, 24, ETH, 15:53
6. Benita Johnson, 30, AUS, 16:00
7. Jane Wanjiku Gakunyi, 29, KEN, 16:07
8. Dulce Maria Rodriguez, 36, MEX, 16:07
9. Millicent Gathoni, 23, KEN, 16:10
10. Rene Kalmer, 28, RSA, 16:14.