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Sunday, May 27, 2001

By Lori Shontz, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

WHEELING, W.Va. -- How was he to know? John Yuda had never been to the United States before; in fact, he is the first member of his family to leave Tanzania. He doesn't speak English. He was too shy to wave at the crowd during the awards ceremony or acknowledge the applause with a brief thank you -- in Swahili, that's asante.

	John Yuda of Tanzania crosses the finish line 18 seconds short of the course record. (John Beale, Post-Gazette)

He had no idea if the winner of the Ogden 20K Classic broke the course record, he would receive a new car.

After Yuda won the 12.4-mile race in an hour and 41 seconds, he sat with a group of other African runners. Only then did he understand he didn't only miss the course record by 18 seconds. He missed a Chevrolet Cavalier -- an incredible luxury for a man whose family grows maize and mullet in rural Tanzania -- by 19 seconds.

That's a decent margin to make up, especially on a course so hilly that American running legend Bill Rodgers, who had ran this race so often he became practically an honorary citizen of Wheeling, called it the country's toughest race. But had he realized the incentive, Yuda might have had a shot.

"Eighteen seconds," said fifth-place finisher John Kariuki of Kenya, who translated for Yuda. "He could have gone faster."

A car was also available if the women's winner broke the course record, and when two-time Boston Marathon champion Catherine Ndereba announced her intention to enter, the likelihood of sponsor Marhefka Auto Dealers actually having to ante up the car increased. Ndereba couldn't leave Kenya, however, because of problems obtaining an exit visa.

The victory went to fellow Kenyan Teresa Wanjiku, who finished second in 1999 behind Ndereba. Wanjiku ran alone after the seventh mile yesterday, and she finished in 1:11:07, about a minute and a half off Ndereba's course record.

Kenya's Teresa Wanjiku, right, won the women's race yesterday in a time of 1:11:07. (John Beale, Post-Gazette)

"I still improved my time," said Wanjiku, whose winning time in 1998 was 1:13:18. "At 7 miles, I felt good, and I just kept pushing myself."

She succeeded, running the final, downhill mile in 4:59.

Wanjiku, 27, is a veteran of American road races; she won the Richard S. Caliguiri/City of Pittsburgh Great Race in 1998, her first year on the American circuit after two years in Europe. She particularly enjoys the challenge of the course, which has been known for its steep hills since 1977, when the Wheeling Distance Festival made its debut.

A year ago, Wanjiku was unable to compete because she was recovering from a stress fracture. Sitting at home in Kenya, she noted the date and felt sad that she wasn't running where she had the previous two years. This year, when her agent asked, "Are you willing to go to Wheeling?" -- the difficulty of the course keeps plenty of runners away -- Wanjiku was happy to answer yes.

Smiling at the race director, Hugh Stobbs, Wanjiku said, "I'm willing for him and the people of Wheeling."

Yuda, 21, battled Kenyan Laban Kipkemboi for much of the race. Three weeks ago, Yuda found himself in a similar situation at the Berlin 25K, challenging Kenyan Rodgers Rop and the world record. Rop broke the record, and Yuda finished second, a second off the previous mark.

This time, Yuda put away the race -- but not the record -- with about three miles remaining. As he and Kipkemboi crested the second (and shortest) of the race's three primary hills, the one known as Chicken Neck Hill, Yuda accelerated past Kipkemboi and cruised down the hill's other side. He also ran the final downhill mile in 4:17.

"He likes downhills -- they were perfect," Kariuki explained after talking with Yuda. "He was just like, 'Whoom' -- and he was gone."