Posted: April 24, 2004

Athletics: Elite Field For Rite Aid Cleveland 10-K

From David Monti

(c) 2004 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

By Bob Ramsak, (c) 2004 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved

(CLEVELAND, OH, USA) -- Kenyans Patrick Nthiwa and Reuben Chebii and Russians Olga Romanova and Galina Alexandrova headline Sunday's 27th Rite Aid Cleveland 10-K.

Fourth here last year, Nthiwa returns to Cleveland after a slate of solid performances this Spring. After finishing sixth at the World's Best 10-K in San Juan, PUR, Nthiwa claimed wins at the Newark Distance Classic 20-K and Shamrock Sportsfest 8-K in March. In his most recent outing, he was sixth two weeks ago at the Crescent City Classic 10-K. Last year, Nthiwa posted a 27:15 personal best on an aided course in Salt Lake City.

The 21-year-old Chebii made his U.S. road racing debut with a win Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10-K in Richmond, Virginia on March 27 in 28:07. He was third in the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler (48:17) and was a close second in the Crescent City 10-K in 28:25.

Romanova was the winner at last month's Azalea Trail Run 10-K in Mobile, Ala.,(32:45), and was fifth in the Cherry Blssom 10-Miler. Alexandrova, who finished second to Romanova in Mobile and was a pace setter at last Sunday's Flora London Marathon, has won five races this year, including the Bermuda 10-K and the Shamrock Sportsfest 8-K.

$6,800 in prize money will be awarded to the top-five men and women in the 10-K, along with $1,200 for the top-three master's finishers. An additional $2,000 will be awarded to the first three Ohio finishers. In the marathon, $4,200 will be awarded to the top five finishers, with $2,000 in the master's division. For the second straight year, no elite athletes will race in the marathon.

The annual Cleveland races, where Joseph Kimani ran his second of three 10-K world bests in 1996, have new courses this year.

The 10-K Elite Field (personal best time and ages supplied by the organizers and have not been verified):

MEN -
Patrick Nthiwa, 20, Kenya, 27:15*
John Itati, 30, Kenya, 27:31
Reuben Chebii, 21, Kenya, 27:42
Albert Okemwa, 38, Kenya, 28:14
Ronald Mogaka, 26, Kenya, 28:32
Jakub Wizniewski, 25, Poland, 28:34
John Sence, 34, USA (Ohio), 28:37
Daniel Kibungei Cheruiyot, 29, Kenya, 28:54
Samuel Ndereba, 27, Kenya, 28:58
Henry Dennis, 29, USA (Ohio), 29:15
*aided course

WOMEN -
Renata Paradowska, 33, Poland, 31:38
Olga Romanova, 23, Russia, 31:58
Galina Alexandrova, 30, Russia, 32:11
Naomi Wangui, 25, Kenya, 32:18
Zivile Balciunaite, 25, Lithuania, 32:56

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