2011 NYC Half
Professional Men's Gallery

March 20, 2011

Great Britain's Mo Farah, running the longest race of his life, won the sixth annual NYC Half in 1:00:23, the third-fastest time ever run on the course. To do it, he had to outsprint a renowned kicker, ING New York City Marathon 2010 champion Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopia, who finished two seconds back in 1:00:25. Galen Rupp of Portland, OR, another debut half-marathoner, was close behind in third with a time of 1:00:30. The men's race produced five of the 10 fastest times in the event's history.

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The race began in a brisk 37 degrees—chilly for watching, but great for racing.
ING New York City Marathon 2009 winner Meb Keflezighi and three-time USA Olympian Abdi Abdirahman led early; they were racing each other for the 50th time in their careers.
Ten men were still in contention as the race left Central Park and headed south toward Times Square.
And then there were four: Down the West Side Highway, Gebre Gebremariam (Ethiopia), Galen Rupp (USA), Tesfaye Girma (Ethiopia), and Mo Farah (Great Britain) prepared to duke it out for three podium spots.
Gebremariam sprinted first, but Farah, fresh from indoor track season, had an even faster last move. He won by two seconds in 1:00:23.
Girma, an NYRR member who represents the West Side Runners, held on for fourth (1:00:35), behind Rupp's 1:00:30 debut.
Defending champion Peter Kamais of Kenya fell midway through the race, but got up and ran 1:00:46 to finish fifth this year.
Alistair Cragg of Ireland ran a personal-best 1:00:49 for sixth place.
Moses Kigen Kipkosgei of Kenya, last year's runner-up, was seventh in 1:01:19.
Unheralded Ezkyas Sisay of Ethiopia, another West Side Runners member, was 10th in 1:01:56.
Farah has never lost a half-marathon. (He's 1-for-1.)
Three nationalities, three podium finishers, three great smiles: left to right, Gebre Gebremariam, Ethiopia (2nd), Mo Farah, Great Britain (1st), and Galen Rupp, USA (3rd).

2011 NYC Half Professional Men's Gallery

2011 NYC Half
Professional Men's Gallery