New York, NY, USA - Defying pre-race predictions of a close finish, defending and 2003 champion Lornah Kiplagat of the Netherlands led wire-to-wire at the Circle of Friends New York Mini 10K Saturday morning, taking her third Mini victory in 31:27, ahead of New York City Marathon champion Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia and Los Angeles Marathon runner-up Gete Wami of Ethiopia.

The strong field included Australian 2004 World Cross Country champion Benita Johnson and Ukrainian 2005 Boston BAA half-marathon champion Nataliya Berkut, who, along with Prokopcuka, ran national records placing in the top five at the Great Manchester Run 10K three weeks ago, where Wami was second. Last weekend, Johnson and Berkut had also relegated the Kenyan-born Kiplagat to third place at the Freihofer’s 5K in Albany, New York.

“There will be at least three women with 800 metres to go,” Mary Wittenberg, CEO of the Mini’s organiser, the New York Road Runners, had predicted on Thursday, with Kiplagat and Johnson also expecting a close race.

“Good job, Lornah!”

But on a clear, beautiful morning, Kiplagat shot out of the starting line just outside Central Park at the gun and was never headed. Johnson, Wami and Yumi Sato of Japan followed close behind, and Berkut and Prokopcuka rounded out the initial chase pack. Kiplagat clocked 5:02 for the first mile, leading Wami, Johnson and Prokopcuka. The sun gleaming between the trees of Central Park, the second mile was reached in 10:05 with Wami, in her bouncing stride, on Kiplagat’s shoulder. Half-way was reached in 15:38 with Prokopcuka about nine metres adrift of the leading pair and Berkut another 15 or so metres away, while Johnson was falling further back.

Approaching the fourth mile mark, Kiplagat, her eyes veiled behind dark shades, looked back at Wami – who, moments later, glanced at her Latvian chaser – and then pulled away, reaching the mile marker in 20:16, some five seconds ahead of Wami, who had now been caught by Prokopcuka. When Kiplagat glanced back again later, she had a 10 second lead on Prokopcuka who was well ahead of Wami, and no-one else was in sight, but for recreational runners and cyclists heading in the opposite direction on the other side of the road -- the runners applauding without breaking stride -- and spectators, one of whom yelled, “Good job, Lornah!”

After a 4:59 fifth mile for a 25:13 clocking, Kiplagat passed under the 800m-to-go sign with only Prokopcuka visible behind her. The Latvian finished in 31:34 and Wami in 31:56. Johnson crossed the line fourth in 32:14 and immediately leaned forward, resting her hands on her thighs, while Berkut rounded out the top five in 32:17.

A disrupted 2006 schedule

“I’m sorry, Mary, for upsetting your prediction,” joked Kiplagat later. “I’m so glad to win for the third time.” Kiplagat now trails only five-time winners Grete Waitz and Tegla Loroupe in number of Mini victories.

“I worked pretty hard,” said Kiplagat. “I started a bit easy. I didn’t want to take a risk to run myself out of energy in the first 5K. I felt strong in the second half.”

But Kiplagat’s regular regimen had been disrupted by her hard preparation for April's World Cross Country Championships and she had been feeling the effects. “Last weekend I was pretty tired,” said Kiplagat. “Yesterday I felt horrible.”

The 2005 World Half Marathon silver medallist began 2006 with a 30:50 win at the World’s Best 10K in Puerto Rico for the third straight year. She had contested the World Cross just twice before, but took silver in the 8K and fifth in the 4K. “I celebrated hard after that,” said Kiplagat. “It made me realise I can do more than what I usually think I can.”

But the deviation affected her 2006 schedule, in which she wants to peak for the August European Championships 10,000m in Gothenburg, Sweden. “I had to take a break after World Cross, otherwise the year would be too long,” she said. “For the last seven years, I have made sure I’m in good shape at this time of year, then I slow down a bit in July. This year, I’m a bit late.”

After trying to make up for it and entering the Mini with some doubts, Kiplagat was delighted with the outcome. “There’s no happy woman like me this morning,” she said.

European Championships and Berlin Marathon beckon runners-up

Prokopcuka, who bettered her 2005 Mini time by nearly 45 seconds, thanked Kiplagat for presenting her with a moving target.

“She was a good aim for me, and I was able to run fast today,” said the 2005 Osaka Marathon champion, who will face Kiplagat again in the Gothenburg 10,000. “I’m in good shape and I can hope for a medal in the European Championships.”

“I decided to hold back the first part, and the second part I decided to do what I can,” added Prokopcuka, who in April placed second in the Boston Marathon. “I took over Gete Wami and we ran together, and after that I tried to take Lornah, but it wasn’t possible.”

“I’ve been training for the marathon,” said the 2002 Amsterdam Marathon champion Wami who explained that she recently experienced a left groin injury after running a personal best 31:13 behind compatriot Berhane Adere in Manchester. “After that, I had some pain, so I didn’t train much, and I haven’t done speedwork.”

“The course has a lot of downhills, and I took those cautiously,” added Ethiopia’s three-time Olympic track medallist, who plans to run the Berlin Marathon in September. “Lornah ran strongly on the downhills and pulled away on one.”

The top nine finishers of the all-women Mini ran under 33 minutes, with 2005 U.S. 5K champion Amy Rudolph the top American in sixth.

Sabrina Yohannes for the IAAF

Circle of Friends New York Mini 10K
Central Park, New York City
June 10, 2006

Top Results:

1. Lornah Kiplagat, Netherlands, 31:27
2. Jelena Prokopcuka, Latvia, 31:34
3. Gete Wami, Ethiopia, 31:56
4. Benita Johnson, Australia, 32:14
5. Nataliya Berkut, Ukraine, 32:17
6. Amy Rudolph, USA, 32:34
7. Jen Rhines, USA, 32:39
8. Yumi Sato, Japan, 32:42
9. Yuri Kano, Japan, 32:55
10. Fatima Ayachi, Morocco, 33:13