Sara Hall outkicks Stephanie Bruce at US 10K championships

In a tight race to the finish, Sara Hall won the US 10K championships at the NYRR Mini 10K in New York City yesterday, outkicking defending champion Stephanie Bruce in the final 100 metres. Her time was 32:27. Bruce finished in 32:32 and Sally Kipyego was third, in 32:35.

Here is the podium for the @usatf #NYMini10k Champs! Congrats to ⁦@ASICSamerica⁩ teammate ⁦@SaraHall3⁩ on her victory!? pic.twitter.com/KtXnBSGZ4i

— Deena Kastor (@DeenaKastor) June 8, 2019

In only the second year the race has had a wheelchair division, Susannah Scaroni successfully defended her title, winning more than a minute and a half ahead of five-time NYC Marathon winner Tatyana McFadden in second place, finishing in 22:22 to McFadden’s 24:01, a new PB and course record for Scaroni. Amanda McGrory was third, in 26:04.

Scaronia and McFadden recently raced at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix, where Scaroni won bronze in the 1,500m.

Multiple past 10K champion Aliphine Tuliamuk, who finished second last year, was 7th.

Hall took home USD $20,000 for her efforts, while Bruce had to settle for $12,500. Kipyego gets $9,000.

I had so much today at the @nyrr all woman’s #nycmini10k / #usatf 10k Championships. Honored to be part of the woman’s run for the second year in a row. I love making history and continuing to be an advocate for this sport. Thank you @nyrr for continuing to raise the bar ❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/QenDy41qkF

— Tatyana McFadden (@TatyanaMcFadden) June 9, 2019

Most of the big names in the race were entered in the 10K championship. In the Open division, first across the line was Belaynesh Fikadu of Ethiopia in 34:36.

Hall, 36, has now earned national titles at the mile, 5K, 10K, 20K and marathon distances. Bruce, who is 35 and a mother of two little boys, is the current US half-marathon champion. Both Bruce and Hall train in Flagstaff, Ariz. and occasionally run together. According to LetsRun.com, Hall will race the Gold Coast Half-Marathon in Australia next month, while Bruce will race the 10,000m at the USATF Outdoor Championships in Iowa next month and looking to qualify for the world championships in Doha in September. Hall was injured over much of the winter and returned to racing in time to train for the Boston Marathon, where she finished 15th. She is married to retired runner Ryan Hall.

OMG! It's @nyrr #Mini10K week! For the first time in 48 years, the race will host the @usatf 10K Championships for women. There is a $75K prize money purse with $20K for the winner. Here is what the start looked like in 2018 when the race had 8373 finishers.

?by @d9monti pic.twitter.com/T1pQnc9nj5

— David Monti (@d9monti) June 3, 2019

RELATED: New York Mini 10K to host US 10K championships this Saturday

This was the first time in its 47-year history that the New York Mini 10K has hosted the 10K championship. The 1972 Crazy Legs Mini Marathon, as it was originally called, was the first women-only race in the US, and “mini” refers to the miniskirt, a revolutionary fashion trend in the 1960s and 1970s. There were only 72 finishers, and the race was three weeks before Title IX, the law that guaranteed equal access for women to educational opportunities (including sports), and which has been credited for the steady rise of women in US athletics.

Kipyego has struggled since having her daughter in 2017, but she was pleased with how yesterday’s race went. She is 33.

Jordan Hasay, 27, who finished third at Boston in April, struggled to a 20th-place finish yesterday, admitting in an interview later to feeling “pretty awful” in training lately. Hasay plans to challenge Deena Kastor’s US marathon record at the Chicago Marathon in October. (The record is 2:19:36, set at the London Marathon in 2006.)

RELATED: Lagat becomes oldest-ever USATF 10K Champion

Stephanie Hodge was the first of 71 Canadians entered in the race. Hodge is 53, lives on Long Island, and trains with the New York Harriers. Her time was 44:08.