Regassa Bests Men; Gemeda Tops Women

Anne Parker Wins AT&T Dash for the Cash

Richmond VA –Ethiopian runners won the men’s and women’s races at the head of a boisterous Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k that saw 32,745 registrants and thousands more cheering along the course.

Ethiopia’s Tilahun Regassa, 19, won with a time of 28 minutes 21 seconds, beating his countryman Alene Reta, 26, by 12 seconds (28:33).  Lewis Nyariki, 20, of Kenya, was third in 28:37.

“I needed someone to push me because I wanted to break the course record,” Regassa explained through an interpreter.  “If I had someone to push me I think I could have done more.”

In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Amane Gemeda, 26, won handily, finishing well ahead of Richmond’s hometown 10k favorite Maria-Elena Calle, 33.  Gemeda’s time was 32 minutes 37 seconds to Calle’s 33:33 (numerologists take note of Calle’s age and finishing time).  Ethiopia’s Hirut Mandefro, 23, placed third in 33:35.

“No one wants to be second,” said Calle, who has finished 4th, 3rd and 2nd the past three years in a row at the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k and who logged many a training run on elegant and picturesque Monument Avenue while attending Virginia Commonwealth University.  “You always race to win, but it was a great day.  Richmond is such a pretty town, and it’s such a good race.  I think we all love it.  The 30,000 people who were there had a great day.”