Above: Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopia set a course record
in the Healthy Kidney 10K race in Central Park, sprinting to
the finish in 27 minutes 42 seconds.

NYT: Ethiopian Runner Sets Record in Central Park

Universal Sports
By David Monti, Race Results Weekly
Posted: May 15, 9:10a ET

NEW YORK — The 2009 IAAF World Cross Country champion Gebre Gebremariam ran the fastest-ever 10-K in Central Park here today, winning the 6th annual UAE Healthy Kidney 10-K in 27 minutes and 42 seconds.

Gebremariam, 25, from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, ran aggressively with Kenyan Peter Kamais, the 2010 NYC Half-Marathon champion, right from the gun. The pair were under course record pace at the one-mile checkpoint (4:26) and through the first 5 km (13:47), where they had built a ten second lead over Kenyan Julius Kogo and Englishman Chris Thompson.

The duo ran together until there were 800 meters to go, and Gebremariam used his superior sprint speed to pull away from Kamais for good. Kamais ran 27:49, just one second slower than Tadese Tola’s one year-old course record. Kogo finished third (28:19) and Thompson fourth (28:25).

In addition to his first place prize of $7500, Gebremariam also won a special $20,000 bonus for breaking Tola’s record. Read more.