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Olympians Huddle, Korir battle for Gate River Run 15K titles

By Randy Lefko
Posted 3/14/18

JACKSONVILLE – Olympian Molly Huddle ran alone for the last three miles of the Gate River Run 15K held Saturday in downtown Jacksonville and blitzed the stellar field to win in 47 minutes and 50 …

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Olympians Huddle, Korir battle for Gate River Run 15K titles


Posted

JACKSONVILLE – Olympian Molly Huddle ran alone for the last three miles of the Gate River Run 15K held Saturday in downtown Jacksonville and blitzed the stellar field to win in 47 minutes and 50 seconds with runnerup Jordan Hasay nearly a minute off the pace at 48:40.

In the mens’s race, Olympian Leonard Korir, fourth in the RIO 10K (6.2 miles), defended his 2017 title with a fast 43:06 split to hold off Army teammate Sam Chelanga, who finished just 11 seconds behind. Chelanga holds the NCAA 10K record of 27:08.49. Korir’s final mile, down the Hart Bridge, was clocked at 4:15.

Nearly 20,000 athletes ran the 9.3 mile race.

Last year, Korir,? had to outsprint Chelanga to the finish in one of the closest finishes ever in the Gate River Runs history.

Huddle, who set the American 10K record while finishing sixth at the RIO Olympics, out-played the mens’ field to be first across the finish line after a six minute lead start that earned her an additional $5,000. Hasay, a University of Oregon standout, finished ninth in the U.S. Olympic Trials 10K and 13th at the Trials 5K. Hasay recently shattered the American women’s marathon record with her third place finish at the Chicago Marathon in 2:20:57. Hasay also finished third at the Boston Marathon in 2017 with an American debut record of 2:23:00.

Winners earned $12,000 with runnerups getting $5,000.

Top area finishers included, for the females, Grace Adams, 13, of Green Cove Springs, third at 11-13 in 1:10:45 with Allie Knotts, 12, righth in 1;26:56. In 60-64, Fleming Island’s Denise Dailey, 60, finished second at 60-64 in 1:14:40.

In 20-24, former Ridgeview High cross country standout Alexandra Midgett, 23, took eighth in 1:02:54.

In 30-34, Fleming Island’s Sharon Hawley, 31, and Orange Park’s Belissa DelValle, 30, finished eighth and ninth, with Hawley in at 1:03:09 and Del Valle in at 1:03:21.

In 60-64, Julie Boyette, 61, of Orange Park, finished eighth in 1:21;11.

In 75-79, Orange Park had three top 10 finishers with Matt Mcevers, 78; Marie Bendy, 75, and Laura Ritter, 77, in at sixth, seventh and eighth in 2:40:40, 2:40:58 and 2:47:51, respectively.

For males, Matthew Stratton, 13, finished second in the 11-13 in 59:24.

In 14-19, Ridgeview High cross country runner Keith Kelley, 16, finished 11th in 59:19.

In 35-39, Green Cove Springs’ Jason Arnold finished eighth in 58:05 with Orange Park’s Rick Oblak, 44, ninth in 58:33.

In 45-49, Orange Park dentist Gary Myers, 45, seen running shoulder to shoulder with Arnold as both approached the Hart Bridge, finished sixth in 56:54.

In 55-59, Orange Park’s Randy Arend, 57, finished 11th in 1:06:17 with Fleming Island’s Rob Foster, 55, 16th in 1:08:20.

In 70-74, Orange Park’s George “Scooter” White, 71, finished fifth in 1:19:09.

In 75-79, Orange Park’s Frank Frazier, 75, finished seventh in 1:53:51.