2009 NYC Half-Marathon Professional MenAugust 16, 2009 [Complete Coverage] |
The men’s professional race was arguably the most competitive in the four-year history of the NYC Half. Despite the competition, it was a runaway win for Ethiopia’s Tadese Tola, who defended his 2008 title. |
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 The invited runners included many of the best in the world. |
 Tola bolted to an early lead, and only Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa gave chase. |
 By the time he reached Times Square, Tola was completely alone. |
 Tola finished in 1:11:06, just eight seconds slower than his 2008 winning time. |
 The chase pack: Americans Abdi Abdirahman and Ryan Hall and Moroccan Ridouane Harroufi. |
 Harroufi managed to outduel Hall and grab the runner-up spot in 1:02:33. |
 Hall, the American half-marathon record-holder, was third in 1:02:35. |
 Abdirahman finished fourth in 1:02:51. |
 Ramaala, the ING New York City Marathon 2004 champion, finished fifth in 1:04:02. |
 Harroufi’s countryman Abderrahime Bouramdane was sixth in 1:04:08. |
 The top local male, Stephen Chemlany of WTC, finished in 1:04:10, good for seventh. |
 Ketema Nigusse of WSX finished in 1:04:13, on Chemlany’s heels. |
 NYRR Runner of the Year Worku Beyi was ninth in 1:04:28. |
 Kenya’s Hosea Rotich rounded out the top 10 in 1:04:59. |
 Hiroshi Yamada of Japan finished 11th, seven seconds behind Rotich. |
 Harroufi, Tola, and Hall made up the men’s podium at the fourth annual NYC Half-Marathon. |
