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Posted: March 19, 2004
Athletics: Champions - Berhanu and Adere - Return to Defend Carlsbad 5000 Titles World's Fastest 5K Celebrates 19th Year with Strong Invitational Field SAN DIEGO, Calif. - (March 16, 2004) - Both the men's and women's elite champions return to highlight another stellar invitational field at the 19th annual Carlsbad 5000, set for March 28 along the scenic North County oceanfront. Berhane Adere, who tied the world record with her 14:54 performance, and Dejene Berhanu, both from Ethiopia, lead a field that will be made up of several competitors fresh off an appearance at the World Cross Country Championships in Brussels, Belgium the weekend prior to the Carlsbad 5000. Adere's time of 14:54 tied the world record set by Deena Drossin on the Carlsbad course in 2002. She followed that performance with a gold medal in the 10,000-meters at the 2003 World Championships in Paris. Adere, 30, will be challenged by 20-year-old countrywoman Meseret Defar who is coming off a gold medal performance in the 3000 meters at the World Indoor Championships in France earlier this month. Ethiopian Werknesh Kidane, bidding to become just the second woman to win two individual World Cross Country titles in the same year, is also in the mix as are sisters Tirunesh and Ejegayehu Dibaba. The younger Dibaba sister, Tirunesh at 19-years-old, is the recent 5000 meter world champion. Also pushing the Ethiopian contingent will be Kenyans Isabella Ochichi, who finished second to Adere here last year with a time of 14:56, past Carlsbad champion Sally Barsosio, who won in 1997 and 2001 and Australian Benita Johnson, the fourth place finisher in 2003 at 15:02. Johnson has been steadily improving over the past year and has dropped her 5000 meter PR to 14:47.51 on the track. Berhanu was all alone at the finish of the men's race last year, crossing at 13:19, but should receive competition from countryman Sileshi Sihine. Sihine, 20, took home the bronze medal in the 10,000 meters at the 2003 World Championships and has been in top form on the cross country circuit since then. He seeks to improve on his seventh place World Cross finish from last year, and should enter Carlsbad as a favorite. Countryman Gebre-Egziabher Gebremariam, third at last year's World Cross Country Championships, rounds out the Ethiopian contingent. A pair of young runners from Qatar, Saif Saaeed Shaheen, 21, and Abdullah Hassan, 22, continue to make a name for themselves on the national stage and both could challenge for the Carlsbad title. Shaheen is the world's best in the steeplechase, having won the 2003 World Championship gold medal and the World Athletics final last year. Hassan is a 5000 and 10,000 meter specialist and owns Asian records at both distances. While hosting the "World's Fastest 5K" for elite athletes, the Carlsbad 5000 welcomes runners and walkers of all ages and abilities to a series of six "People's Races." The event promises a scenic course, healthy competition and a weekend of fun for participants of all ages and skill levels. Kicking off the weekend of family fun is the 15th annual Junior Carlsbad, which takes place Sat., March 27 and offers 10 different races specifically designed for kids age 12 and under. Participants are encouraged to register soon and take advantage of early entry prices. Mail-in registration is $25 through March 20. Participants can save $2 by registering online, for $23, through March 21. The entry fee is $28 thereafter and on race day. Junior Carlsbad mail-in registration is $12 through March 20 and $8 online through March 21. The fee moves to $15 thereafter and on race day. A free Health & Fitness Expo takes place on race weekend, running from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. The expo will serve as race registration headquarters on Saturday, allowing participants to pick up their race number, timing chip, t-shirt and goodie bag. The interactive expo, located on Roosevelt Street between Grand and Carlsbad Village Drive, will display running apparel and shoes, fitness gear, a rock climbing wall and health and nutrition items. To register for the Carlsbad 5000 and Junior Carlsbad, visit www.eliteracing.com or call (858) 450-6510. Sponsors of the Carlsbad 5000 include Baja Fresh, North County Times, PowerBar, Active.com, New Balance, Henry's Marketplace, NBC, Adelphia, 91X, 94.1 FM and the Carlsbad Convention and Visitor's Bureau. Carlsbad 5000 Elite Athletes As of March 10, 2004 Men: (name, age, country, 5000m track PR, highlight) 1. Dejene Berhanu, 23, (ETH), 13:14:05, 1st 03 CB5000, 3rd '03 All Africa Games 10,000m 2. Sileshi Sihine, 20, (ETH), 13:06.53, 3rd '03 World Championships 10,000m 3. Saif Saaeed Shaheen, 21, (QAT), 12:48.81, 1st '03 Steeplechase World Championships 4. Adrian Blincoe, (NZL), 7:47.46 3K 5. Alistair Stevenson, (AUS), 1st '03 National Championships 1500m, 2nd '03 Noosa 5K 6. Gebre-Egziabher Gebremariam, 20, (ETH), 12:58.08 3rd '03 World XC 12K 7. Abdullah Hassan, 22, (QAT), 12:56.27, 4th '03 IAAF World Championships 10,000m 8. Boaz Cheboiywo 25, (KEN), 13:29.77, 2nd '03 NCAA Indoor 5000m 9. Cathal Lombard, 28, (IRL), 13:19.27, Irish 5,000m National Champion 10. Raymond Yator, 22, (KEN), 8:03.74 Steeplechase PR, 1st Athletics Kenya 4K Eldoret 11. Alejandro Suarez, 23, (MEX), 13:18.13, 1st '03 Arturo Barrios NAC 5K 12. Barnabas Kosgei, 17, (KEN), 13:30.08, '04 Kenyan Jr. XC Champion 13. Boniface Songok, 21, (KEN), 4th Kenyan 4K National XC Championships
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