Merga breaks 8K world record; Rick Ball breaks single leg amputee record
May 23, 2009, OTTAWA -- Two world records were broken at the MDS Nordion 10K race Saturday night on a perfect spring evening.
Deriba Merga from Ethiopia broke the 8K world record at 21:48 minutes en route to finishing the 10K race at 27:24. The 8K (5 miles) record was 22:02.
If Merga had finished the 10K race in under 27:01, he would have taken home a $100,000 prize offered by the Ottawa Race Weekend. But he did break the course record of 28:12 held by Ottawa Race Weekend Race Director John Halverson since 1988.
The second world record broken was the single leg amputee time of 38:00, which was beaten by Rick Ball of Orillia, Ontario, in the time of 37:55.
"It is rare that one, let alone two world records are broken at a single race," said Jim Robinson, General Manager, Run Ottawa. "This solidifies our position as a world-class running destination."
The first woman to cross the finish line was Ethiopian Teyba Erkossa in a time of 31:51. The first Canadian woman to cross was Tara Quinn-Smith from Toronto at 33.39. She was the first of five Canadian women in the top 10 finishers. Her husband Andrew Smith was the first Canadian man to finish. He came in eleventh at 29:24.
RESULTS -- MEN'S
| Deriba Merga (Ethiopia) | 27:24 |
| Boaz Cheboiywo (Kenya) | 28:17 |
| Hosea Kibet Rutto (Kenya) | 28:21 |
| Worku Beyi (Ethiopia) | 28:36 |
| Silas Sang (Kenya) | 28:38 |
| Paul Langat (Kenya) | 28:45 |
| Patrick Makau (Kenya) | 38:53 |
| Julius Kiptoo (Kenya) | 28:54 |
| Samuel Ndereba (Kenya) | 29:14 |
| Abderrahime Bouramdane (Morocco) | 29:18 |
RESULTS-- WOMEN'S
| Teyba Erkesso (Ethiopia) | 31:51 |
| Emebet Bacha (Ethiopia) | 32:45 |
| Jane Murage (Kenya) | 33:06 |
| Hyvon Ngetich (Kenya) | 33:12 |
| Jane Kibii (Kenya) | 33:34 |
| Tara Quinn-Smith (Canada) | 33:39 |
| Kathy Tremblay (Canada) | 34:53 |
| Lucy Smith (Canada) | 35:12 |
| Lisa Harvey (Canada) | 35:57 |
| Paula Wiltse (Canada) | 37:24 |
ABOUT THE OTTAWA RACE WEEKEND
The Ottawa Race Weekend, Canada's premier running festival, combines competition, participation and fundraising to make a distinctive contribution to the health of the community. The 2008 Ottawa Race Weekend welcomed more than 32,873 participants in seven races, including the ING Ottawa Marathon and the MDS Nordion 10K. Run Ottawa, the organization behind the Ottawa Race Weekend, is run by a volunteer Board of Directors.
Deriba Merga (L) and Teyba Erkesso (R), winners in the MDS Nordion 10K in Ottawa - Photos: RunnersWeb.com
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