Westchester Track Club Leads Local Pack at NYC Half-Marathon Presented by NIKE
New York, August 5, 2007—Although there was no home-course advantage today at the NYC Half-Marathon Presented by NIKE, local runners made a strong impression, especially those from the Westchester Track Club.
In the second annual 13.1-mile race from Central Park to Battery Park, WTC male runners took three of the top 10 spots—Demesse Tefera (seventh in a time of 1:03:36), Worku Beyi (eighth, 1:03:39) and Gurmessa Megeressa (ninth, 1:03:53)—and claimed 10 of the top 25 spots.
In the women's race, WTC runner Azziza Aliyu was the top NYRR-member finisher, coming in ninth in 1:13:58, just ahead of teammate Alemtsehay Misganaw, who placed 10th in 1:14:04
"I'm smiling because I accomplished my goal; I wanted to finish in the top 10," said Aliyu, 21, who won this year's Emerald Nuts Midnight Run. "This course was very exciting. So much to see. But I was able to concentrate and run a very good race."
The race-time temperature of 70 degrees coupled with considerably lower humidity than in the days leading up the race helped Misganaw and numerous other runners achieve a personal best.
"Fortunately, it was not too hot today and that made it a good race," said Misganaw, 26, a perennial top performer in races throughout the northeast. "I trained hard in Central Park for this race, but I didn't expect to win. I run mainly in the 5K and 10K."
Tefera, 24, posted his second-straight top-10 finish in the event and was the fastest local runner, a distinction he also earned in 2006. But he wasn't pleased with the outcome after coming in fifth overall last year.
"My goal was to do better than seventh, so I am not so happy," Tefera said through his translator and teammate Kassahun Kabiso. (Kabiso finished 22nd in 1:07:10.) "My condition was good and I trained well, so I expected to run a lot better."
Demesse Tefera was the top local runner, finishing seventh in 1:03:36.
