by Larry Eder
Shannon Rowbury, running one of her firs serious 5,000 meters on the track, runs a world leading 15:12.95, just two weeks after her 15:41 on the roads at Carlsbad, (picture above, photo by PhotoRun.net). The 5,000 meters was part of the NYRR Distance carnival at UC Berkeley last night!
Great idea and great event! New York Road Runners sponsor a distance carnival at Brutus Hamilton and the races were superb! Great men’s 10,000 meters, with collegiate, Australian records-five men under 27:40.10! In the men’s 5,000 meters, Bobby Curtis ran a smart 13.29.12 with five guys in .6 of a second! Philes Ongori got the women’s world leader in 31:53.46 and Katie McGregor ran a nifty 32:14.57!
BERKELEY (USA, Apr 24): 95 The NYRR Distance Carnival at the two-day Brutus Hamilton Invitational meeting ended on a high note with Liberty University‘s Sam Chelanga setting a new NCAA record at 10,000m. The meet, jointly produced by the New York Road Runners and the University of California at Berkeley, was held at Edwards Stadium on the Berkeley campus. Informs Race Results Weekly. Chelanga powered to a world-leading 27:28.48 win in the men‘s 10 000 m, breaking Galan Rupp‘s NCAA record of 27:33.58 set in 2007. Chelanga was followed over the finish line by Australia‘s Collis Birmingham who clocked a national record 27:29.73. Japan‘s Yuki Sato finished third in 27:38.25, just three seconds shy of Toshinari Takaoka‘s Japanese record. Fourth Olympic steeple finalist Anthony Famiglietti also came close to his PB with 27:39.68. Mexican Juan Luis Barrios debuted at the distance with great 27:40.10 as fifth ahead of Kenyan Boaz Cheboiywo (27:48.97). Briton Andrew Lemoncello improved dramatically to 27:57.23 as seventh and another European Martin Fagan of Ireland also achieved a new PB 27:58.48. Last year only 8 European runners clocked sub 28 minutes and only six competed in Beijing (and none in Osaka 2007). Australian Michael Shelley as ninth also improved to 27:59.77. In the women‘s 5000m, 2008 USA Olympic Trials 1500m champion Shannon Rowbury set a new Edwards Stadium record and personal best with her 15:12.95 world leading clocking. Sara Hall finished second in 15:34.68, while Carrie Tollefson signaled a return to fitness with her 15:35.33 third place finish. Last year‘s NCAA 5000m champion Bobby Curtis led the men‘s 5000m in 13:29.12, followed by Australia‘s Ben St. Lawrence in a career best 13:30.18, and USA Olympian Jorge Torres in 13:30.65. Kenya‘s Philes Ongori ran a world-leading and Edwards Stadium record of 31:53.46 in the women‘s 10,000m. She was followed by 2005 USA 10,000m champion Katie McGregor in 32:14.57.
