Posted: June 5, 2006

Athletics: Australia's Johnson Edges Berkut to Win Freihofer's Run for Women 5K

Troncoso Takes Fifth Masters Title

From Ed Parham

ALBANY, N.Y. - (June 3, 2006) - Before the gun fired for the start of Saturday morning's 28th running of the Freihofer's Run for Women 5K in downtown Albany, the consensus was that this was Lornah Kiplagat's race to lose. The 32-year-old Kenyan-born Dutchwoman had proved dominant in almost every race she had run this year, and had earned a silver medal at the super-competitive World Cross Country Championships 8K in Japan last March. At the tape, however, it was Australia's Benita Johnson who prevailed, her win coming as the culmination of one of the most thrilling competitions in the history of this celebrated road race.

With nine Olympians on the starting line, there was no doubt that this was the finest Freihofer's field ever assembled. Hopes of an improvement of Asmae Leghzaoui's 2005 course record (15:18) were dashed, however, by torrential rains that battered New York's Capital District throughout the night and that continued unabated until after the race had been completed.

It may have dampened conditions on the starting line, but the rain could do nothing to quench the competitive fire that was evident from the moment the starter, local TV celebrity Benita Zhan, got the field of 3,144 women underway. Characteristically, Kiplagat charged immediately to the forefront, opening a 10 meter lead within the first half-mile. This is the tactic that she has employed to assemble one of the most impressive distance running resumés. Sometimes, the same old song goes a little out of tune.

Four minutes into the race, Kiplagat held the lead, but immediately in her wake was Johnson, a woman with an impressive resumé of her own, including a gold medal from the 2004 World Cross Country Championships. Indeed, pre-race predictions held that if anybody in the field could upset the near-omnipotent Dutchwoman, it would be Johnson. Not many believed it would come to pass, but among those who did was the one person who counted - Johnson.

Despite the soggy conditions, the first mile was passed in a swift 4:58. Given the uphill first half-mile, any opening mile split under 5:00 on the Freihofer's course is indicative of some aggressive running. Factoring in the watery weather offered additional evidence of precisely how aggressive.

At this stage, with Kiplagat hammering and Johnson right on her heels, this appeared to be solely Holland vs. Australia for the $10,000 first prize.

Think again. Natalya Berkut from Ukraine had been mentioned in the pre-race discussions, but largely as a top five contender. A 2004 Olympian at 10,000m, she was a proven quantity, though one running under the radar. The leaders' sensors picked her right up, though, as she charged thru the second mile, closing the gap entirely on the leaders, so that, by mile two (10:06), a two-woman race became three.

With three quarters of a mile remaining, approaching the exit from Washington Park, Kiplagat, surprisingly, began to fall adrift. "The road was too wet," she later stated. "It was slippery. But there are more races." At once she lost 10 meters on Johnson and Berkut and, as the leaders turned on to Madison Avenue and the long stretch towards the finish line, once again this was a two-woman race.

It was only with 200 meters remaining that the ultimate outcome was decided. With the line and $10,000 immediately before her, Johnson kicked home with a panache that enlivened the rain-soaked crowd assembled near the finish. Johnson's winning time of 15 minutes, 27 seconds gave her a two second margin over Berkut. Kiplagat was third in 15:47.

"I felt good," understated the newly crowned champion. "The weather didn't bother me that much. It was a great field. I'm very happy to have won."

In the masters race, for women aged 40 & over, Freihofer's legend Carmen Troncoso, 47, prevailed yet again, defending the title the Austin, Texas resident won in 2005. Troncoso's time of 17:11 placed her 19th overall in this, her 15th Albany appearance. In total, it was her fifth victory in the masters competition.

28th Freihofer's Run for Women 5K - Albany, NY, Saturday, June 3, 2006

OVERALL
1) Benita Johnson, AUS, 15:27, $10,000
2) Natalya Berkut, UKR, 15:29, $5000
3) Lornah Kiplagat, NED, 15:47, $3000
4) Lineth Chepkurui, KEN, 15:50, $2000
5) Amy Rudolph, USA/RI, 15:50, $1000
6) Dorota Gruca, POL, 15:52, $750
7) Jemima Jelagat, KEN, 16:03, $500
8) Maria Khristina Mazilu, ROM, 16:06, $300
9) Eunice Chepkirui, KEN, 16:09, $250
10) Nicole Aish, USA/CO, 16:12, $200

Masters (40+)
1) Carmen Troncoso, TX, 17:11, $750
2) Marisa Hanson, NY, 17:38, $500
3) Ramila Burangulova, RUS, 17:47, $350
4) Joan Benoit Samuelson, ME, 18:16, $200
5) Charlotte Rizzo, NY, 18:37, $100

Full results at: Ryan@RunningUSA.org www.RunningUSA.org.

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