A Clean Sweep For The Home Team
The Greater Springfield Harriers won all three team
prizes at the 22nd annual Springfield Fourth of July road race. Fierce
thunderstorms which swept through the area just before the race may have scared off some
runners, but not the fearless Harriers. True to their tradition, the Harrier event went
off on schedule, and despite the rain, was perhaps the best organized holiday race
yet.
Sandu Rebenciuc of Fast Feet fame
took control of the race from the opening gun, raced through the first mile in the mid
4:30s, and was never seriously challenged, successfully defending his crown from
last year in 15:41. All the more impressive as Sandu ran a track meet in Maine the day
before in an attempt to qualify for the Olympic trails in the steeplechase. Although he
missed in Maine due to the heat and humidity, he qualified a week later. Second
place was a race, with Carlos Rivera eventually breaking away with 16
year old Neal Graves on East Columbus on the return stretch back through
the center of town. Within striking range were Harriers Dave Hanechak and
Paul Fratini racing shoulder to shoulder. But at the finish line it was
teammate Carlos Rivera (16:31) holding off a surging Dave
Hanechak (16:42). The youngster Neal Graves faded to fourth
(16:46) while Paul Fratini claimed fifth (16:54). Harriers Tom
Bousquet (7th in 17:04) and Don Towse (8th
in 17:12) helped clinch the team title while each earned a seeded invitation to next
years race.
Kristine Ross won the womens
race in a pr 18:47, leading the Harrier women to their 22nd consecutive team
title and earning herself a Springfield Union-News sports page photo in Mondays
newspaper. A visitor for the Garden State (New Jersey) Jenny Koprowski
took second in 19:24 closely followed by Harrier Heather Wenninger
(19:32). Dawn Roberts (5th in 19:48), Katie Knowles
(6th in 20:21) and San San Wu (8th in 20:58)
completed the team scoring to help maintain the winning streak.
Celio Hernandez led the Harrier
masters team to victory with a solid 17:23 effort,with John Bigos
(17:53), Bob Willis (18:19), Bill Romito (20:04) and Tom
Dwyer (20:18) all aiding the cause.
The awards ceremony included a wide variety of
merchandise prizes, refreshments were plentiful, and the new t-shirt design was
enthusiastically received. With success both in the administration of the race and in the
running of the race, all club members should be pleased.
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