American Ben True and Defending Champion Joyce Chepkirui Win the 2015 UAE Healthy Kidney 10K in Photo Finishes

Press Release

The 2015 UAE Healthy Kidney 10K had two photo finishes, with American Ben True (Enfield, NH) and defending champion Joyce Chepkirui of Kenya claiming victories this morning, May 30, in Central Park.

In the men’s race, True, 29, became the first American champion since Dathan Ritzenhein in 2007 with a time of 28:13, just edging out defending champion Stephen Sambu of Kenya, who finished second, also in 28:13. 2011 and 2013 New York City Marathon champion Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya finished third in 28:20.

“Sambu and Mutai went right after the four-mile mark, and that’s when I started getting a little worried that I wouldn’t be able to hang on with them,” said True. “But, I told myself going into the race that if I was with them with 8K to go, I’d have a good shot, because I was going to be too stubborn to let them get a away from me with only 2K to go.”

In the women’s race, Chepkirui, 26, successfully defended her title with a time of 32:33, just ahead of second-place finisher Gladys Cherono of Kenya, who also ran a time of 32:33. Gemma Steel of Great Britain finished third in 33:47.

“I am very, very happy to win again,” said Chepkirui. “It is not easy to win a race two times.”

7,885 finishers participated in the 2015 UAE Healthy Kidney 10K. The course began on Central Park’s West Drive near 62nd Street, took one loop of the park, and finished on Central Park’s West Drive at 67th Street. Runners competed for a prize purse of $100,000 with a first place prize of $25,000, the largest winner’s prize in the world for a 10K. The event, sponsored by the United Arab Emirates, benefits the National Kidney Foundation in honor of the late UAE President, Sheikh Zayed.

New this year was the Youth Running Series at the UAE Healthy Kidney 10K, a 1.7-mile race on Central Park’s lower loop for youth runners ages 7 to 18, including kids in NYRR’s Young Runners youth running program. The race started and finished at Central Park’s West Drive near 69th Street. Hundreds of kids participated in three age group races: 7 to 10 years, 11 to 13 years, and 14 to 18 years.

Top three male finishers:

1.    Ben True, 29, USA                    28:13

2.    Stephen Sambu, 26, KEN      28:13

3.    Geoffrey Mutai, 33, KEN       28:20

Top three female finishers:

1.    Joyce Chepkirui, 26, KEN       32:33

2.    Gladys Cherono, 32, KEN      32:33

3.    Gemma Steel, 29, GBR          33:47