Kiprono, Gregg Goodman are Bellin Run Champs
June 10, 2017
Men’s winner captures record-tying fifth title as 13,892 register for event
The Bellin Run welcomed a familiar men’s champion and a brand-new women’s winner Saturday, June 10, as Allan Kiprono and Kaitlin Gregg Goodman captured first-place titles in the 41st annual Bellin Run.
Kiprono, of Kenya, easily bested the rest of the field, breaking the tape in 29:11 as second-place finisher Benson Cheruiyot came in more than a minute later in 30:26. The victory is Kiprono’s fifth at Bellin, putting him in the exclusive five-time champion company of Ed Eyestone (1991-95) and John Korir (2005-08, 2010).
On the women’s side, Kaitlin Gregg Goodman of Rhode Island won handily in 34:35, beating runner-up Samantha Rivard of Oak Grove, Minn., who finished in 36:39. It was a first-time victory for Gregg Goodman, who finished second to five-time winner Risper Gesabwa in 2016.
Four-time Bellin Run champion and running icon Joan Samuelson smashed the course record for the 60-64 age group, finishing in 40:17 to beat the old mark by nearly eight minutes and take eighth overall female. The event also had its oldest-ever finisher, 89-year-old Veryl Albrecht of Marquette.
The Bellin Run registered 13,892 participants in its 41st year, down from 16,944 in 2016. Runners and walkers took to the streets in warming weather conditions under partly cloudy to sunny skies with temperatures of 68 degrees and mild humidity at the 8 a.m. start.
Bellin’s elite athletes were heavily involved in this year’s pre-race activities, participating in the Thursday evening Run with Greatness Charity Fun Run, as well as signing autographs during the Friday night Health & Wellness Expo at Astor Park. Keflezighi took part in a Friday Facebook Live and in-person question-and-answer session presented in conjunction with race sponsor Festival Foods, and Gregg Goodman signed autographs Friday at the Bay Park Square store of race sponsor Shopko.
Other male athletes invited by the Bellin Run had the following times:
• Jared Ward, Utah: 30:41
• Meb Keflezighi, California: 31:09
• Sammy Rotich, Iowa: 32:34
• Bill Rodgers, Massachusetts: 47:10
Other female athletes invited by the Bellin Run had the following times:
• Joan Samuelson, Maine: 40:17
• Uta Pippig, Colorado: 1:00:00
The overall course records did not fall. Joseph Kimani retains the men’s course record of 27:46 set in 1997 and Tegla Loroupe holds the women’s course record with a time of 31:48 set in 1999.
Local and state notables in the female division include Holly Nearman of Milwaukee (37:25; third place overall); Laura Schmitz of Oshkosh (39:23; sixth place overall); Sara Rohde of De Pere (39:25; seventh place overall); Katelynn Williams of Madison (40:44; 10th place overall); and on the male side, Brian Finnel of Verona (31:17; fifth place overall); David Luy of Brookfield (32:03; sixth place overall); Armando Torres of Green Bay (32:08; seventh place overall); Matthew Borneman of Madison, (32:50; ninth place overall); and Mitchell Bilitz of Fond Du Lac (32:57; 10th place overall).
The Bellin Run’s two largest programs drew more than 7,100 participants between them. A total of 5,666 individuals from 250 companies participated in this year’s Corporate Challenge, while 1,437 individuals from 56 schools were part of Kids for Running. Nine hundred forty-three peoples volunteered their time for this year’s event.
Complete Bellin Run results are available through the Bellin Run website at www.bellinrun.com.
