Gebremeskel defends B.A.A. 5K title in new course record

Dejan Gebremeskel of Ethiopia defended his Boston Athletic Association 5K leading up to the 2014 Boston Marathon.

The 2012 Olympic 5000m silver medallist held off the surging Ben True, an American, on Saturday, April 19, to win in a new course record of 13:26. True also ran 13:26, finishing a sliver back from Gebremeskel. Stephen Sambu of Kenya finished third in 13:27.

True and Gebremeskel have now both won the B.A.A. 5K twice, the only two to have done so.

American Molly Huddle, who competed in the 2012 Olympics, won the women’s race in 15:12. She came from a distant sixth with less than a mile to go, moving up through the field as the pack neared the finish.

Mamitu Daska and Sentayehu Ejigu of Ethiopian finished second and third in 15:14and 15:16, respectively.

Also on Saturday were the invitational mile races.

Nick Willis of New Zealand, the 2008 Olympic silver medallist over 1500m, won the men’s race in a slow 4:11.3. American Morgan Uceny won the women’s race in 4:44.0.