CARLSBAD, Calif., (April 6, 2008) - In a tight men’s race to the finish line, Ethiopia’s Terefe Marego Zewdie edged out England’s Mo Farah to win the Carlsbad 5000 today in a time of 13 minutes, 34 seconds. Vivian Cheruiyot ran uncontested to the finish in her debut on the oceanside course in 15:14. American Alan Webb dropped out of the men’s race with approximately a half-mile to the finish.

In a conservative race, Farah, 25, took the men’s pack through the first mile in 4:25. After the first of two hairpin turns on the course, Farah looked smooth as he quickened the pace. Haron Lagat, 24, from Kenya challenged Farah off his left shoulder as the two men lead the pack towards mile two where the pace dropped to a 4:2 2 mile.

Tucked in behind the leaders, Zewdie seemed to slingshot around the last hairpin to join the leaders. Farah and Zwedie pushed the pace as the men approached the final stretch, towing Lagat and Australian Collis Birmingham.

With a brief glance to the side Zwedie opened up a one-second lead on Farah before he broke the finish tape.

"The crowd was very encouraging," Zwedie said. "I knew at the turnaround I would win the race."

Webb, a Reston, Virginia resident was visibly disappointed with his performance in his first outing at the Carlsbad race. He could not identify a specific problem to explain the reason he pulled up, but injury did not play a role.

"I was hurting," Webb said. "I was putting in surges just to stay up where I was. As soon as we turned around that second time I was done. It’s the only time I’ve dropped out of a race for no other reason than I was hurting."

Webb, who was accompanied at the race by his coach Scott Raczko said he has been training hard for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field in June.

"I’m always trying to push deeper and go harder," Webb said. "It’s in there, I just need to get it out of me. Hopefully this won’t be my last time in Carlsbad. I look forward to coming back and doing better."

Cheruiyot was considered the favorite in the women’s race heading into today’s competition and the 25-year-old proved it with her seven second win over countrywoman Rose Kosgei, 26.

The two Kenyans, joined by their mutual friend Genoveva Kigen, dominated the women’s race, claiming the top three positions. Cheruiyot began to steadily pull away at approximately the 1.5-mile mark as the clear winner.

For complete results of the day’s nine races, please visit www.eliteracing.com

 

Top Ten Elite Results And Prize Money

Name	Country	Age	Time	Prize
1.    Terefe Maregu Zewdie	Ethiopia	24	13:34	$5,000
2.    Mo Farah	Great Britain	25	13:35	$3,000
3.    Haron Lagat	Kenya	24	13:36	$2,000
4.    Collis Birmingham	Australia	22	13:36	$1,000
5.    Josphat Boit	Kenya	25	13:36	$800
6.    Shadrack Kosgei	Kenya	24	13:50	$700
7.    Boniface Songok	Kenya	27	14:01	$500
8.    Michael Aish	New Zealand	30	14:06	$400
9.    Julio Cesar Perez Morales	Mexico	25	14:13	$300
10.    Dmitry Safronov	Russia	26	14:27	$200
WOMEN
Name	Country	Age	Time	Prize
1.    Vivian Cheruiyot	Kenya	25	15:14	$5,000
2.    Rose  Kosgei	Kenya	26	15:21	$3,000
3.    Genoveva Kigen	Kenya	20	15:41	$2,000
4.    Sara Slattery	United States	26	15:59	$1,000
5.    Korene Hinds	Jamacia	31	16:04	$800
6.    Everlyne Lagat	Kenya	27	16:08	$700
7.    Kathy Butler	Great Britain	33	16:13	$500
8.    Lisa Blomme	Sweden	29	16:23	$400
9.    Ida Nilsson	Sweden	26	16:36	$300
10.    Jane Kibii	Kenya	22	16:41	$200