Torres, Flanagan Triumph in Central Park Challenge - weakened by illness Webb finishes 16th

Jorge Torres of Boulder, CO, became the USA 8km champion today at the Central Park Challenge, running 22:42 to edge Andrew Carlson of Bloomington, MN, by less than a second. Shalane Flanagan of Pittsboro, NC, won the accompanying women’s Invitational, an inaugural race over the same distance, in 25:40, running away from Katie McGregor of St. Louis Park, MN (25:56). Both events were hosted by New York Road Runners.

Torres, 27, also the 2005 USA 8km champion, came into the race somewhat under the radar, despite his runner-up finish to Dathan Ritzenhein at the USA Cross Country Championships in San Diego on 16 February. The pre-race focus here was on American Mile record-holder Alan Webb, 25, of Reston, VA, who was making a rare appearance on the roads and competing for the first time since September. Webb, feeling the effects of nausea and vomiting over the previous 48 hours, finished 16th in 23:32.

“I thought if I backed off a bit I would be okay, but I totally fell apart,” said Webb, who is expected to make the U.S. Olympic team at 1500m.

Next stop Edinburgh for Torres

“I’ve had great training with my group,” said Torres, who is coached by former Marathon World record holder Steve Jones. He will compete in the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 30 March. Carlson, 25, who won the USA 15km Championships in Jacksonville, FL, on 8 March, received the same official time as Torres; he was gaining in the final metres but came up just short.

Flanagan was the runaway winner at the USA Cross Country Championships last month and she took an early lead here as well.

“I like to race pretty aggressively,” she said. “I was in a zone and tried to just stay really focused.”

Flanagan plans to make her 10,000m debut at the Stanford Cardinal Invitational in May. She is a favourite to win the Olympic Trials 5000m, a distance at which she holds the American record (14:44.80).

Flanagan won $11,500 for her efforts ($10,000 for the victory plus $1,500 for being the lead runner at 5km). Torres won $10,000; the $1,500 5km incentive went to Christian Hesch, 29, of Morro Bay, CA, who finished sixth. The event had a total prize purse of $70,000.

There were 41 finishers in the men’s race and 30 in the women’s; complete results are at www.nyrr.og.

New York Road Runners for the IAAF