Ben Flanagan wins his third Falmouth Road Race
The Kitchener, Ont. native has successfully defended his throne, winning three of the last four Falmouth Road Races
Photo by:
Kevin Morris
Kitchener, Ont. native Ben Flanagan has done it again, winning his third Falmouth Road Race in four years. Flanagan finished the seven-mile (11.3 km) course in 32:25, outlasting runner-up Biya Simbassa (32:32), for a second straight year in Falmouth, Mass.
Flanagan, whose partner, Hannah, grew up in Falmouth, was the favourite heading into the race and was keen to defend his 2021 title. In a pre-race interview, Flanagan chatted about his familiarity with the course and how he was already dreaming of his celebration when he won his third.
As in previous years, the 27-year-old broke the tape by jumping into it, holding up three fingers to indicate three wins.
The American women’s marathon record holder, Keira D’Amato, won the women’s 11.3 km race in a nail-biting finish (36:14). She managed to hold off a surging 2017 Boston Marathon champion Edna Kiplagat (36:28) to claim the women’s title in her Falmouth debut.
This race was a quick bounce back for the 37-year-old, who placed eighth at last month’s 2022 World Athletics Championships marathon for Team USA in 2:23:34. Earlier this year at the Houston Marathon, D’Amato set the U.S. marathon record of 2:19:12.
D’Amato will take another stab at breaking her American marathon record on Sept, 25. at the Berlin Marathon.
There are three things guaranteed in life:
– Death
– Taxes
– Ben Flanagan ?? (@bennyflanagan) winning The Falmouth Road RaceCongrats to the three-time champ!
?: Kevin Morris pic.twitter.com/hTXyLFfMvG
— Marley Dickinson (@marleydickinson) August 21, 2022
Flanagan again made his attack at the top of the Scranton Ave. hill at the 5.5-mile marker. Simbassa, who lives and trains in Flagstaff, Ariz., followed Flanagan’s move, along with David Bett of Kenya. The Canadian 10K record holder ousted Bett and Simbassa on the final downhill to win, nine seconds shy of his personal best on the course: 32:16 from 2021.
Flanagan now joins an exclusive group of six runners to successfully defended their titles at Falmouth. The group of six features: Alberto Salazar (‘81 and ‘82), Frank Shorter (’75 and ’76), and David Murphy (‘84 and ‘85). Next year, he will have the chance to join Kenya’s Gilbert Okari as the only men to win three straight (2004-06).
Daniel Romanchuk won the men’s wheelchair title in 22:02, and Susannah Scaroni won the women’s division in 25:30.
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