Page 57 - /images/2019/2019_Media_Guide

The Runner’s Rite of Spring ®

race, as Ethiopian Worku Bikila outsprinted three Kenyans finishing in 52:16, nearly a minute up on Lydiya Grigorieva,
to take the overall title in 46:59. Lazarus Nyakeraka (47:01), who clocked 53:15. The event had its largest number of
James Kariuki (47:03) and William Kiptum (47:07) fol- finishers ever, 6,515.
lowed. Interestingly, Bikila got off his plane in Pittsburgh
where it had stopped and went to the Doubletree Hotel
in Pittsburgh. Some frantic calling got him D.C. bound
shortly thereafter to the Doubletree race headquarters hotel
here. Apparently the distraction to him was minimal. The
women’s race was even closer than the men’s as Kenyan Jane
Omoro bested teammate Jane Ngotho by a single second,
53:37 to 53:38. The win was satisfying to Omoro, who had
lost the 1994 race on a lean to Helen Chepngeno.

2000 (April 9)
At 6:30 a.m. on race day, snow was swirling in the staging
area in West Potomac Park. The good news is that it stopped
by the race time of 8:00 a.m.; the bad news is it was replaced
by a howling, cold northwest wind. Runners throughout
the field reported that they were nearly slowed to a walk on
the completely exposed out-and-back crossing of Memo-
rial Bridge. However, with much of the course similar to
1998 and within the closed confines of Rock Creek Park
once again, Reuben Cheruiyot was still able to clock 46:07
as he blazed the final two miles — with the wind at his back
— in 8:44. On the women’s side, defending champion Jane
Omoro narrowly lost to Kenyan teammate Teresa Wanjiku,
55:50 to 55:56. In honor of the race being held in Washing-
ton and it being a presidential election year, the organizers
staged a “Foot Poll.” Using a transponder chip laced into
their shoes, runners crossed mats about a quarter mile from 2001 Women’s Champion Elana Meyer
the finish line marked “Democrat,” “Republican,” or “Nei-
ther/Undisclosed.” “Votes” were tallied at the finish line. In 2002 (April 7)
the end the Democrats prevailed with 44%; Republicans and After an 11-year run as title sponsor, Nortel Networks
“Neither/Undisclosed” tied for second with 28%. Republi- stepped down – its sponsorship a victim of the collapse of
cans were heard to remark that the mat marked “Democrat” the internet bubble. Greg Farmer, Nortel’s Senior VP Global
was along the shortest route to the finish, a charge instantly Government and Community Relations, said, “I do not
denied by the organizers. believe that any other sponsorship has provided Nortel with
such a high profile with Washington policymakers.” By the
The event marked ten years with Nortel Networks as the end of the summer, a group of approximately 40 Credit
title sponsor. Unions, mostly from the Washington, DC Metropolitan
area, formed an organization called the “Credit Union
2001 (April 8) Miracle Day Committee,” and signed on. It was a win-win
For the first time since 1993, the cherry blossoms were at situation as the event helped the Credit Unions raise nearly
their peak on race day with “perfect-for-running” tem- $100,000 for the Children’s Miracle Network, and hundreds
peratures near 50-degrees. For the first time since 1992, the of Credit Union employees and members signed up as vol-
event used the same course for two years in a row. A few unteers. The blossoms joined the festivities for the second
sprinkles of rain fell early in the morning, but runners were year in a row as Kenyans John Korir and Reuben Cheruiyot
glad they weren’t last year’s snowflakes! Kenyans Reuben picked up where they left off in 2001. This time Cheru-
Cheruiyot and John Korir waged an epic battle which iyot prevailed by 5 seconds with a time of 47:13. Luminita
resulted in the closest men’s finish ever, with Korir edging Talpos equaled Cheruiyot’s 5-second margin of victory
Cheruiyot, 46:12 to 46:13. A dramatic photo appeared in the in a time of 52:50 to become the first Romanian winner.
Washington Post showing both men with their arms raised Ethiopia’s Teyba Erkesso followed. Legally blind U.S. runner
in expectation of the win. South African Elana Meyer, Marla Runyan finished fifth in 53:37. The event grew to a
making her first appearance, dominated the women’s field, record 7,061 finishers.

2019 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Media Guide 57