Fancy Chemutai, David Bett, Daniel Romanchuk earn victories in B.A.A. 10K Debuts
BOSTON (23-June) – A pair of course records fell to the wayside at the 2019 B.A.A. 10K, presented by Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Fancy Chemutai of Kenya set a new women’s course record of 30:36, while Daniel Romanchuk of Illinois re-wrote the record books in the men’s wheelchair division, breaking the tape in 20:17. David Bett (Kenya) and Carla Trodella (Danvers, Mass.) rounded out the day’s winners in the men’s open and women’s wheelchair divisions, respectively.
Today’s B.A.A. 10K, presented by Brigham and Women’s Hospital, was the second race of the 2019 B.A.A. Distance Medley, which also includes April’s B.A.A. 5K and October’s B.A.A. Half Marathon. Presenting sponsor Brigham and Women’s Hospital was represented by 550 runners, who have raised a combined $250,000 through today’s event.
Both Chemutai and Romanchuk earned breakaway wins thanks to tactical moves made early in their races. After crossing the halfway mark in 15:25, Chemutai began to leave the rest of the women’s field behind, pulling away as she made her way towards Kenmore Square.
Splitting 8K in 24:33, Chemutai knew she was on course record pace and buckled down for the final minutes of racing. At that point, she had nearly a 25-second lead on countrywoman Brillian Kipkoech and was on pace to shatter Shalane Flanagan’s 30:52 course best.
“I saw it was coming, that the course record was coming,” she said. When asked if that motivated her, she smiled and said, “yeah, sure!”
Triumphantly crossing the finish in 30:36, Chemutai established a new course record. The time also ranks tied for second fastest in the world this year.
“I enjoy being in Boston and enjoyed to win. It was very hot. It was hot,” said Chemutai of her Boston road racing debut. “I was going for the course record, it was in my mind.”
Kipkoech placed second in 31:04, with 2015 Boston Marathon champion Caroline Rotich taking third in 31:58. Top American honors went to Aliphine Tuliamuk, eighth place in 32:27.
Like Chemutai, men’s wheelchair champion Daniel Romanchuk was all alone for a vast majority of the 6.2-mile race through Boston’s Back Bay. The reigning Boston Marathon champion and Abbott World Marathon Majors Series XII winner cruised to a 20:17 win, averaging three minutes, 15 seconds per mile. He’d take a commanding lead in the opening mile and never looked back.
“It was a wonderful day, a great day this morning,” said Romanchuk. “It’s a unique course as an out and back, and towards the end it kind of felt like the [Boston] Marathon. Coming in towards the end, the crowds, just amazing!”
Romanchuk’s time breaks the course record (formerly 22:55) and serves as a fitting bookend to a busy victory tour weekend that saw the 20-year-old throw out the first pitch at Fenway Park, meet with the Adaptive Sports New England youth clinic, and meet with Brigham and Women’s Hospital runners.
Miguel Jimenez-Vergara (24:12) and reigning champion Tony Nogueira (24:21) rounded out the men’s wheelchair podium.
The men’s open race was a fierce battle between Kenyans David Bett, Daniel Chebii, and Stephen Sambu, alongside Tanzania’s Joseph Panga. With opening miles of 4:34 and 4:33, the men’s leaders came through 5K in 14:16 and then began to push the pace even more. The quartet broke from the field, and clocked a 4:29 fourth mile, setting up for a final push down Commonwealth Ave. towards the finish.
It was Bett who had the best sprint of the day, making the turn onto Charles Street first and holding off the hard charging Chebii, who would finish a second behind, 28:08 to 29:09. Sambu rounded out the top three in 28:11, followed by Panga (28:14).
Following his win, Bett said he’s already fallen in love with the roads of Boston and hopes to come back for October’s B.A.A. Half Marathon.
“I feel very happy,” said Bett. “I feel so happy for winning. I’m looking forward to coming back again next year. I think before I’ll try to run [the] B.A.A. Half Marathon in October.” Both men’s champion Bett and women’s winner Chemutai are from Kericho in Kenya.
Brighton, Mass. resident Brian Shrader was the top American, seventh place in 29:11.
Taking the women’s wheelchair title was Carla Trodella in 1:22:05. This was Trodella’s fourth B.A.A. 10K title, having won in 2012, 2013, and 2016.
A total of 550 participants ran as part of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital team. Together, the team raised more than $250,000 for worthy causes.
The next event in the B.A.A. Distance Medley is the 2019 B.A.A. Half Marathon, presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund, to be run on October 13. Registration opens on Wednesday, July 17.