Kidanu, Chelangat Claim PRRO Championship Crowns at Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile

April 7, 2023

At the 50th anniversary edition, Hillary Bor breaks longstanding U.S. 10 Mile record, taking home $50,000 bonus, while defending women’s race champion Susanna Sullivan finishes 7th, earning PRRO Event Champion’s Bonus

/ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ WASHINGTON, DC – Under cool, sunny, windy conditions on Sunday, April 2, Tsegay Kidanu of Ethiopia and Sarah Chelangat of Uganda won the 50th Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile as well as PRRO Championship titles in 46 minutes, 8 seconds and 52:04, respectively. Each 21-year-old winner earned $8000 plus $2500 as the PRRO champion, awarded to the winner of the PRRO Championship who did not win any event on the 2022-23 Circuit and thus was not eligible for the $10,000 PRRO Super Bonus.

The men’s race came down to Kidanu and American Hillary Bor with the Ethiopian pulling away in the final stretch. Bor finished three seconds later in 46:11 to win the USATF national title, also breaking the 40-year-old U.S. road record of 46:13 set by Greg Meyer at the 1983 Cherry Blossom. For his historic efforts, the Colorado Springs resident earned $59,000 overall ($9000 guaranteed prize money plus the $50,000 U.S. record bonus from CUCB organizers as part of the 50th edition celebration).

In the women’s race, Chelangat was the class of the field, beating American and USA champion Sara Hall by 33 seconds as well as becoming the first Ugandan to win Cherry Blossom and the PRRO crown.

“Our 26th PRRO Championship hosted by the 50th Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile showcased world class racing at its best and produced two young, first-time PRRO Circuit champions,” said Don Kardong, Professional Road Running Organization (PRRO) Circuit President and Bloomsday founder.

Also at the PRRO Championship, $1500 was paid out in PRRO Event Champion’s Bonus money for current PRRO Circuit event winners – see summary below – who finished in places 2-10 at Cherry Blossom. [NOTE: An athlete who wins the PRRO Super Bonus is not eligible for the PRRO Event Champion’s Bonus.]

Bonus money of $1500 went to:

• Susanna Sullivan (USA), 7th female, 53:25, defending CUCB champion

Overall, the event awarded $121,000 in Open and American prize & bonus money plus $6500 PRRO Championship bonus money.

More than 16,500 completed the 10 Mile through the fabled Japanese cherry trees in the nation’s capital on a flat, fast course that passes by all the major DC monuments in the annual Runner’s Rite of Spring. The 10 Mile also hosted the USATF and RRCA Championships. In addition, there were 5,800-plus finishers in the accompanying 5K on Saturday, April 1.

For complete 2023 race results, go to: cherryblossom.org

The PRRO Circuit showcases world class competition at America’s Classic Road Races, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile, the Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K in Spokane, WA and the Boilermaker 15K in Utica, NY. Circuit prize money totaled more than $285,000 in guaranteed prize money overall, including $95,000 in U.S.-only money. The PRRO Circuit, a nationwide series of premier non-marathon road racing events, is organized and promoted by the Professional Road Running Organization (PRRO), an alliance of race directors. Due to the impacts of COVID-19, the 2019-20 and 2020-21 PRRO Circuit seasons were cancelled.

The Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K kicks off the 2023-24 PRRO Circuit season on Sunday, May 7, 2023. Because the $10,000 PRRO Super Bonus went unclaimed at Cherry Blossom, it will increase to $15,000 for the 27th PRRO Championship hosted by Bloomsday in May 2024.

SUMMARY OF EVENTS ON THE 2022-23 PRRO CIRCUIT

Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile, April 3, 2022, Washington, DC

$71,000 in prize money ($31,000 U.S. prize money) plus performance & record bonuses

WINNERS: Nicholas Kosimbei, Kenya, 45:15 (tied course record) and Susanna Sullivan, USA, 52:32

Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K, May 1, 2022, Spokane, WA

$81,000 in prize money ($20,000 U.S. prize money)

WINNERS: Charles Wanjiku, Kenya, 35:07 and Biruktayit Degefa, ETH, 38:48

45th Boilermaker 15K, July 10, 2022, Utica, NY

$65,100 in prize money ($14,500 U.S. prize money)

WINNERS: Jemal Yimer Mekonnen, Ethiopia, 42:38 and Rosemary Wanjiru, Kenya, 48:54

THE 26th PRRO CHAMPIONSHIP

50th Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile, April 2, 2023, Washington, DC

$71,000 in prize money ($31,000 U.S. prize money) plus performance & record bonuses

CHAMPIONS: Tsegay Kidanu, Ethiopia, 46:08 and Sarah Chelangat, Uganda, 52:04

To-date, PRRO Circuit events have produced 17 world and 18 U.S. road records, awarded more than $8 million in prize money and seen more than 2.6 million runners cross their finish lines. In addition, since 1996, the PRRO Championship race has paid out more than $2.1 million including $183,500 in PRRO Championship bonus money.

PRRO Championship and Circuit Year

The PRRO Circuit, launched in 1995, starts and finishes the Circuit Year at the same event that will also host the season-ending PRRO Championship race. The reigning titlists of the PRRO Championship and the event winners on the current Circuit are eligible to compete for the PRRO Super Bonus at the PRRO Championship.

Visit PRRO.org for more information, including its history and past champions, as well as how to join the PRRO Circuit.

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