RECORDS FALL AT 2014 B.A.A. 10K
Stephen Sambu (KEN) and Mamitu Daska (ETH) defend their B.A.A. 10K titles and set world leading times for 10K.
Sambu
sets American All-Comers Road Race record for 8 kilometers en route,
Daska breaks the event record, and 6,619 participants crossed the
finish line.
By Chris Lotsbom
BOSTON
– Records tumbled in bunches here at the fourth annual B.A.A. 10K, as
both Stephen Sambu (KEN) and Mamitu Daska (ETH) successfully defended
their event titles from 2013. Sambu, 25, raced his way to a world
leading time of 27:25 and
set an American All-Comers Road Record (pending) for 8 kilometers en route, while Daska broke Kim Smith’s (NZL) event record by finishing in 31:04, also the fastest time in the world this year.
Under
crystal clear skies and with temperatures comfortably in the low 60Fs
at the start, an event record of 6,619 runners completed the B.A.A.
10K’s picturesque course through
Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood. The B.A.A. 10K was the second event of
the 2014 B.A.A. Distance Medley series, a three race series comprised
of the B.A.A. 5K in April, the B.A.A. 10K, and the B.A.A. Half
Marathon, presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund,
in October. More than 2500 runners are registered for the series.
For
the second consecutive year, Stephen Sambu defeated a past Boston
Marathon champion on his way to winning the B.A.A. 10K. Last year,
Sambu defeated 2013 Boston Marathon champion Lelisa Desisa (ETH) by
nine seconds, winning the 2013 B.A.A. 10K in 28:06. This year, after an
opening mile of 4:30, Sambu was joined by Kenya’s Geoffrey Mutai, the
2011 Boston Marathon victor, two-time B.A.A. 10K champion (2011 and
2012), and fastest marathoner of all time. Fellow Kenyan Daniel Salel
joined the pair as they raced towards Boston University.
Splitting
5K in 13:57 and four miles in 17:45, Sambu and Mutai moved a step ahead
of countryman Daniel Salel, and then were poised for a memorable duel
over the course’s fast and flat second half. All alone out front, two
of Kenya’s finest road racers readied for the battle ahead.
The
day’s first record would be broken when the pair reached 8 kilometers,
as Sambu crossed the certified mark and official timing mat in 22:02,
seven one-hundredths of a second ahead of Mutai. Sambu’s time breaks
Peter Githuka’s previous 8 kilometer American All-Comers time of 22:03,
established in 1996 (Kingsport, Tenn.). The American All-Comers record
which Sambu established is the fastest performance made in the
United States by any competitor of any nationality.
Bound
and determined to break from Mutai and go on to claim the top spot,
Sambu didn’t relent after setting the 8 kilometer record.
“Our
plan from the beginning was to make the pace high,” he said. “I didn’t
even know we set the record for 8K [during the race].”
With
less than a mile remaining, Sambu began to edge away from Mutai on
Commonwealth Avenue. Maintaining his hard pace through the finish
stretch in between the Public Garden and Boston Common, Sambu would
stop the clock at 27:25, the fastest 10K in the world run on the roads
this year and a personal best by 14 seconds.
“After
8K, I knew I still had to run 2K so I thought ‘let me increase the
pace’ because I was just thinking about finishing,” he said, adding
that he was beginning to feel tired. Holding on to first and claiming
the top spot brought a bright smile to Sambu’s face. “It’s really good;
it makes me feel good.”
Finishing
second was Mutai in 27:35, who was recognized around
Boston all weekend as a Boston champ and the fastest all-time
marathoner. Rounding out the top three was Salel in 27:41, while Bo
Waggoner, of
Somerville, MA, was the top American in tenth (30:48).
With
his victory, Sambu becomes the second man ever to win back-to-back
B.A.A. 10K titles, a feat Mutai accomplished in 2011 and 2012. Sambu’s
coach, James Li, believes even faster times are in his future.
“I
think he can run a little bit faster still. He’s still young at this,
relatively,” said Li, who has coached Sambu since his days at the
University of Arizona. “He’s an awesome runner, very steady.”
On
the women’s side, Mamitu Daska became the first female two-time B.A.A.
10K champion in race history. Making a decisive move in the final mile,
Daska went on to win in 31:04, shattering Kim Smith’s previous event
record of 31:36.
In
the opening mile, Daska established her intent to win the $10,000 (USD)
first place prize and pursue Smith’s record, which would net her an
additional $7,500 (USD) event record bonus. Pushing the pace with
Kenyans Aliphine Tuliamuk-Bolton and Betsy Saina by her side, Daska
went through two miles in 9:47.
Tuliamuk-Bolton and Saina, who starred in college at
Wichita State and
Iowa
State, respectively, led the way at 5 kilometers in 15:34, with Daska a second behind.
Biding
her time and saving energy, Daska sat back while her Kenyan competitors
tried to break up the group. Not letting the hard surges get to her,
Daska kept the podium on her mind.
“I
know that all the runners are good runners and I have confidence I am
going to win. But in the meantime, I was watching them and making sure
they weren’t going to push and pass me,” she said through a translator.
“I am so happy my strategy worked.”
Daska
made the winning move with one mile to go, creating a gap that would
grow to six seconds by the finish. With a time of 31:04, Daska recorded
the fastest 10K time in the world this year, setting an event record
and personal best in the process.
“I didn’t expect to run this kind of fast race today,” said Daska with a bright smile across her face. “I am so happy I won.”
Daska considered the victory particularly meaningful, noting that she thinks of
Boston as a second home.
“I love
Boston. Coming back,
Boston is always an honor for me. Even though what happened last year, everyone knows. Coming to
Boston is like a hometown, always people encouraging me, so I am happy that I won again,” she said.
“I am thrilled and so happy, I have no words to explain.”
If
Daska returns to
Boston for the B.A.A. Half Marathon on October 12, then she will be
eligible for additional B.A.A. bonuses thanks to her runner-up finish
in April’s B.A.A. 5K, and her victory in 10K here today. Bonuses are
awarded to top finishers in multiple B.A.A. events in this calendar
year.
Saina
and Tuliamuk-Bolton would finish second and third in 31:10 and 31:52,
respectively, rounding out the podium. Boston Athletic Association team
member Jen Rhines, 39, was the top American (33:45) in eighth, 33:45.
Rhines resides in Boston, and lives on the B.A.A. 10K course.
B.A.A. club member Chris Magill, 41, of
Cumberland,
RI, won the men’s masters division in 32:54. Kristin Barry, 40, of
Scarborough,
ME won the women’s masters division with a time of 37:41.
There
were nine finishers in today’s push rim wheelchair division. Tony
Nogueria, 46, of Glen Ridge, NJ, won the men’s race in 24:55. Christina
Kouros, 19, of
Cape Elizabeth, ME, won the women’s push rim wheelchair division with a
time of 39:36.
The
Boston Athletic Association’s next road racing event will be the 14th
B.A.A. Half
Marathon, presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund,
on Sunday, October 12, 2014. Registration opens on Wednesday, July 16
at 10:00 a.m. ET.
For complete results, go to:
http://www.coolrunning.com/results/14/ma/Jun22_BAA10K_set1.shtml
For searchable results, go to:
http://www.baa.org/races/10k/results-and-commentary/2014-race-results.aspx
About the
Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.)
Established
in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit organization
with a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports,
especially running. The B.A.A.’s Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest
annual marathon, and the organization manages other local events and
supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round running programs.
Since 1986, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been John
Hancock Financial. The Boston Marathon is part of the World Marathon
Majors, along with the international marathons in Tokyo, London,
Berlin, Chicago, and
New York City. More than 60,000 runners will participate in B.A.A.
events in 2014. The 119th Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, April 20, 2015. For more information on the B.A.A.,
please visit www.baa.org.