Posted: November 26, 2004

Athletics: Nthiwa And Smith Win At Manchester

From David Monti

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

Patrick Nthiwa successfully defended his 2003 title at today's Manchester Road Race, while Kim Smith earned her first.

Nthiwa, 21, covered the challenging 4.78 mile course in 22 minutes and 16 seconds, just one second ahead of Kenyan countryman Eric Chirchir. Karl Keska of Great Britain was third in 22:20. It was the slowest winning time at Manchester since Charlie Dugan ran 22:30 in 1980, and only the fourth time since then that the winner failed to break 22 minutes.

The top U.S. finisher was Ian Connor of Lenoir, N.C. in fourth place (22:25).

Smith, who won the NCAA Division I Cross Country title three days ago in Terre Haute, Ind., made her professional road racing debut with her Manchester victory. Running 24:47, the New Zealander was unchallenged, winning by about half a minute over five-time champion Amy Rudolph (25:14). Laura O'Neill was third in 25:19.

Defending champion and course record holder Emilie Mondor of Canada came to Manchester to defend her title, flying ten hours on Tuesday from British Columbia with a pack of ice strapped to an injured ankle for much of the way. Her name did not appear amongst the top-15 finishers, so it is likely (but not confirmed) that she did not finish.

It was the 68th running of the Manchester Road Race, one of the oldest footraces in the United States and the most prestigious held on the Thanksgiving holiday.