Start, BAA 5k, photo by PhotoRun.net
Hagos Gebrhewit, Ben True, BAA 5k, photo by PhotoRun.net
Buze Diriba, BAA 5k, photo by PhotoRun.net
Buze Diribab wins BAA 5k, photo by PhotoRun.net
The B.A.A. 5k has become a bigger and bigger event during Boston marathon weekend. Carolyn Mather, one of our long time journalist friends, wrote piece on the B.A.A. 5k for us this morning. Special thanks to Carolyn Mather.
CLOSE FINISHES AT BAA 5K
Over 10,000 runners were greeted with near perfect spring weather in Boston this morning to contest the BAA 5K. The sun was shining brightly with a temperature of 49 degrees.Defending champions,American record holder Ben True and Ethiopia's Buze Diriba returned to lead the fields. Both competitors won the New York City Half Marathon in March and today both races came down to a sprint.The first mile was a 4:32. True took the lead shortly before the turn to the finish and battled down the stretch with Hagos Gebhiwet, 2016 Olympic bronze medalist in the 5000. Both took the lead and jockeyed back and forth for the top position before Gebrhiwet got the victory. Both were timed at 13:42.
Talking with True after the race, he stated he was not tired, but his leg turnover was lacking since his victory in NYC. I had talked with him at the press conference the day before and he had not been back on the track except to do a few 200's and he did not consider that speed work. He will turn his attention to track now running the 10,000 and 5000 this spring/summer.
In the women's event a group of women hit the first mile in 4:52, then coming down the stretch, four women battled in the last tenth of a mile with Diriba securing the win in 15:22 by a second over Fotyen Tesfay, also of Ethiopia. She was thrilled to defend her title and looked very comfortable accelerating to the tape.
Runners continued to come in for the next hour plus filling Boston Common and happily wearing their finisher medals. It was a true celebration of running to kick off the main event on Monday. Unfortunately the weather for Monday looks fairly treacherous as high winds, rain and chilly temperatures look to prevail. But this is New England and we will have to wait until Monday to truly state the weather.
Women's Top 10 #BAA5K Times:
1. Buze Diriba (ETH) 15:22
2. Fotyen Tesfay (ETH) 15:23
3. Monicah Ngige (KEN) 15:24
4. Gotytom Gebreslase (ETH) 15:27
5. Molly Seidel (Watertown, Mass.) 15:33
6. Diane Nukuri (Flagstaff, Ariz.) 15:34
7. Lauren Paquette (Memphis, Tenn.) 15:37
8. Sarah Pagano (Boston) 15:41
9. Dana Giordano (Boston) 15:47
10. Sarah Brown (East Weymouth, Mass.) 15:50
Men's Top 10 #BAA5k Times:
1. Hagos Gebrhiwet (ETH) 13:42
2. Ben True (West Lebanon, N.H.) 13:42
3. Tommy Curtain (Waltham, Mass.) 13:42
4. Eric Jenkins (Portland, Ore.) 13:44
5. Philip Langat (KEN) 13:48
6. Luis Vargas (Raleigh, N.C.) 13:49
7. Scott Fauble (Flagstaff, Ariz.) 13:50
8. Reid Buchanan (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) 13:51
9. Mohamed Hrezi (Libya) 13:53
10. Trevor Dunbar (Boulder, Colo.) 13:55
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