FAST FINISHES HIGHLIGHT B.A.A. 5K & B.A.A. INVITATIONAL MILE
Two course records, a battle of two world medalists
and a phenomenal finish that saw the top 11 men finish within five seconds of
each other highlighted the 2023 BAA 5K presented by Point32Health on Saturday.
The international field of professional
athletes in the 13th annual 5K kicked off a morning that featured
nearly 10,000 entrants in the 3.1-mile race, followed by the B.A.A.
Invitational Mile, three laps around Boston’s Back Bay that finished at the
Boston Marathon finish line.
In the 5K, five-time Boston Marathon winner
Marcel Hug (9:52) of Switzerland and American Susannah Scaroni (11:10), the
reigning Paralympic gold medalist at 5000 meters, both set new course records
with their wins in the wheelchair division in a tune-up for Monday’s Marathon.
Professional Open
Races Come Down To Wire
They were soon followed across the finish
line in the men’s open division by Morgan
Beadlescomb, a 24-year-old running his first 5K as a professional after an
All-American career at Michigan State. As a pack that included more than a
dozen contenders turned the final corner, about 200 meters from the finish,
Beadlescomb made his move, taking the victory in 13:35 – just one second ahead
of his training mate, Canada’s Ben Flanagan (13:36). Winning the kick for third
was Edwin Kurgat of Kenya (13:37) – with three other athletes recording the
same time.
Asked after
his wild victory what position he was in just before that last turn,
Beadlescomb said he wasn’t sure. “Between second and tenth,” he replied.
The women’s
race came down to Mekides Abebe of Ethiopia, the 2022 World Championships
bronze medalist in the 3000-meter steeplechase, and Agnes Ngetich of Kenya, who
won her bronze medal in the 2023 World Cross Country Championships. Abebe was
able to outkick Ngetich for the win, 15:01 to 15:02. First prize in the men’s
and women’s open race was $7500.
Top American
honors in the women’s 5K went to Annie Rodenfels, third in 15:12. Last year
Rodenfels won the B.A.A. Invitational Mile.
“I feel like I
always run well here,” said the 26-year-old, who runs for the B.A.A. High
Performance Team. “I live in Boston, it’s Marathon weekend.”
In the women’s
professional mile, Krissy Gear broke from the lead pack midway through the last
lap knowing that in “a field of just absolutely amazing women, if I didn’t make
a fearless move I had no chance. I just wanted to give myself that best chance
that I could.”
Gear, a member
of the 2022 NCAA Indoor Distance Medley National Champions out of the
University of Arkansas, went on to take her first pro victory in 4:39.98. Great
Britain’s Lizzie Bird (4:42.37) won a duel for second over Susan Ejore of Kenya
(4:42:57).
Breaking the
tape in the men’s professional mile (4:07.91) was American Hobbs Kessler, a
20-year-old in his second year as a professional and a Very Nice Track Club
teammate of both the 5K winner and runner-up. Also still part of that group is
five-time Olympian Nick Willis, a three-time winner of this race.
“I talked to
my coach and my training partners, and they said that everyone who’s won this
race in the last 10 years is the first person going into the second-last
corner, every time,” Kessler said.
Finishing
second were Americans Casey Comber (4:08.27) and Johnny Gregorek (4:09.19)
“I just didn’t
quite take the second turn tight enough, and he just got right inside, gave me
a nice little shoulder,” said Comber. “It was a good race move by him. But hey,
it’s a nice opening run. Great spectator course coming around multiple times,
loud announcer in the stands. I know it’s a special weekend in Boston so it’s a
cool thing to be part of.”
In the high
school miles, which featured two runners from each of the eight cities and
towns along the Boston Marathon course, Brian Gamble of Boston triumphed for
the boys in 4:27.83, followed by Declan Mulligan of Brookline (4:38.83) and
Alex Hrycyszyn of Newton (4:39.59). In the girls’ race, Amelia Everett
(5:10.85) and Ciara Evans (5:15:30) went 1-2 for Newton, with Sasha Lamakina of
Framingham (5:24.35) rounding out the podium.
The boys
middle school 1K was won by Luca Domestico of Ashland (3:00.53); the girls’
victory went to Adelle Dupere of Newton (3:22.04).
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