Ethiopian runner defends title at 10-K Jakarta Run

Ethiopian runner defends title at 10-K Jakarta Run

JAKARTA (JP): Addis Abebe of Ethiopia retained his title at
the eighth Bob Hasan 10-K Run, with Ann Marie Letko of the United
States winning the women's event in her first attempt.

There was no serious competition for this years leaders with
the withdrawal of Olympic 10,000-meter champion Khalid Skah of
Morroco, and world class, women runners from China.

Abebe, who won with a 27 minutes and 43 seconds finish, was
three hundredths of a second slower than his last victory when he
broke the seven-year-old world 10-K record.

He is a four-time winner of the annual road race. In his first
and second wins, in 1990 and 1991, the race was staged in the
vicinity of the ancient Buddhist temple of Borobudur near
Yogyakarta. His second two victories, in 1993 and this year, were
both in Jakarta.

Abebe received US$ 25,000 for this year's victory. Last year
he received an extra $500,000 for breaking the world's record.

The 10-K race, which is known as "the world's richest run,"
was organized by president of the Asian Amateur Athletic
Association Federation (AAAF) and timber tycoon, Bob Hasan.

Unchallenged from the gunshot, the Ethiopian runner surged
ahead to lead the race held around the Senayan sports complex in
the early hours of the day and never looked back.

Indonesian top long distance runner Eduardus Nabunone finished
second at 30:32, while US Shanon Butler took third at 30:37.
Nabunone and Butler respectively grabbed the $12,000 and $7,500
prizes.

Nabunome's time was slower than when he ran in Bali in 1988
where he clocked 29:15.10.

Local runners comprised the rest of the top 20 men's
finishers, with the exception of 16th place, which was taken by
Singaporean runner A. Saravana at 33:50.

In the women's competition, Letko reached the finish line at
32:45, far from challenging the world record set by Scotland's
Elizabeth McColgan at 31:07 in 1987. Still, she received her
$20,000 in well-earned prize money for the first place finish.

Indonesian runner Ruwiyati, 16, clocked 35:26 to take the
second place and a $10,000 prize.

Andriyani clocked 41:03 to take third place in the women's
race and pocketed $5,000. (rsl)

Selected results
Men
1. Addis Abebe (Ethi) 27 mins and 43 secs
2. Eduardus Nabunome (Ina) 30:32
3. Shanon Butler (USA) 30:37
4. Hasanudin (Ina) 30:43
5. Osias Kamle (Ina) 30:57
Women
1. Ann Marie Letko (USA) 32:45
2. Ruwiyati (Ina) 35:26
3. Andriyani (Ina) 41:03
4. Rukini Wardoyo (Ina) 42:44
5. Israk (Ina) 43:20