Catherine Ndereba, Micah Kogo Win 2007 Cigna Falmouth Road Race By David Monti (c) 2007 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved *Photo Gallery Here
FALMOUTH,
Mass. (12-Aug) -- It was something old and something new at today's
35th edition of the CIGNA Falmouth Road Race held in hot and humid
conditions under sunny skies.
Catherine Ndereba, 35, the
reigning Olympic Marathon silver medalist, made her seventh appearance
at this twisting, coastal, 7 mile race, and picked-up her fourth
victory. It was her first win here since 1999, and her victory here
came only one week after her second place finish at the NYC
Half-Marathon presented by NIKE.
"It was a good tune-up, a very
good tune-up," said Ndereba who will run the marathon at the upcoming
IAAF World Championships in Athletics. "I always do this race before a
major championships.
Ndereba broke the tape in 36:31, nine
seconds ahead of runner-up Luminita Talpos of Romania, who has had a
very strong summer road racing season. Finishing a solid third was
American Kate O'Neill who grew up in nearby Milton, Mass. She ran
36:52.
"This is a good result," said O'Neill who ran for Yale University. "I'm happy."
On
the men's side, last year's #1-ranked runner at 10,000m, Micah Kogo,
21, of Eldoret, Kenya, made a strong move on Olympic Marathon silver
medalist Meb Keflezighi with less than one mile to go and scooted to
his first victory here in just his first Falmouth appearance, clocking
31:53. Keflezighi, 32, also making his first appearance here, finished
second in 32:13. Kenyan Nelson Kiplagat got third in 32:21.
Kogo
liked the course, especially the hills which reminded him of his native
Kenya (he was born in Kaptagat). It was his first time racing
Keflezighi. Kogo, who did not make the Kenyan team for the IAAf World
Championships, said he planned to return to the track and would contest
the 10,000m at the Memorial Van Damme meeting in Brussels in September
where he will defend his title.
"I will need to train very hard for that," he said.
Both
Ndereba and Kogo earned $10,000 for finishing first; Keflezighi also
earned $10,000 ($5000 for second place plus $5000 for being the first
American). O'Neill banked $7,000 ($2000 for third place plus $5000 for
being the first American).