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Late kick gives Itati victory
Victory
James Knox/Tribune-Review
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop can be reached via e-mail or at 412-320-7889.
Micharia figured right.
Itati sprinted past Micharia in the final mile of yesterday's Richard S. Caliguiri City of Pittsburgh Great Race for the win. Itati crossed the finish line of the 10K race at Point State Park in a time of 27 minutes, 31 seconds. Micharia came in at 27:32.
"He outkicked me," said Micharia, 28, who lives in Toronto. "He has been outkicking me at the finish line always. I try to run faster miles to get away from him, but it hasn't worked."
Itati holds back because he is confident in his ability to sprint to the finish, especially in short distances. Itati runs a 3:56-minute mile. He used the same strategy against Micharia in March in a 10K race in Mobile, Ala.
"I like the shorter races," said Itati, who lives in Philadelphia. "I am strong at the final kick. Maybe next time, he will win. That would be nice. The important thing is we both run good times."
The two plan to compete in a 5K race this weekend in Syracuse, N.Y. Both have committed to return to the Great Race next year. Twelve of the top-13 male finishers yesterday were from Kenya. The first woman to cross the finish line also was Kenyan, but she might not retain her championship crown.
Teresa Wanjiku ran a 31:01, but several protests have been filed that she might have run off the course with 800 meters to go. The protestors claim she ran on a concrete island prior to entering the park. There wasn't a barrier there to block the island, but there should have been, race director Mike Radley said. He plans to review the protests and discuss the situation with eye witnesses and USA Track and Field today before he makes a final decision.
On that part of the course, Wanjiku passed up second-place finisher Victoria Klimina of Russia. Klimina was upset when she crossed the finish line because of the incident with Klimina, not because she didn't like the course.
"This is a great course," she said through her interpreter and agent Konstantin Selinevich. "It was a very fast course, and there was nice weather. The conditions were ideal."
Klimina attempted to make her move at Mile 4, but she was unable to pull away on the uphill portion of the course. She, Wanjiku and Eyerusalem Kuma of Ethiopia ran most of the race in pack. Klimina was able to take a small lead in the final mile, but then was passed by Wanjiku. Because of the controversy, no money was awarded to the women until a decision is made by USA Track and Field, the governing body of the event.
"We have some documented protests and will do some research and talked with USATF," Radley said. "That is why we didn't award any money. I don't want to give anybody any money that is not justifiably theirs."
Itati won his money in the final strides.
He was patient, and it ended up paying off, he said.
Last year's winner Gilbert Koech wasn't as patient. He jumped out in front from the opening gun. By Mile 3, he fell back and finished 13th.
"That happens," said Itati, who made $2,000 yesterday. "I know that, so that is why I stay back. I also know I can make up time with a good kick at the end, whether it is on the downhill or uphill."
