© Copyright – 2023 – Athletics Illustrated
Just five seconds separated the winner and the 11th-place finisher of the 2023 B.A.A. Boston 5K — the 5K that runs prior to the Boston Marathon on Monday. It was a furious race that saw American Morgan Beadlescomb unleash his middle-distance kick to separate himself from a large pack over the final stretch to the finish chute on Charles Street.
It’s official! Welcome Morgan Beadlescomb (@morg_bead) to the VNTC family!
— Very Nice Track Club (@verynice_tc) August 1, 2022
The @MSU_TFXC legend is staying in the Great Lakes State. Morgan’s strength, speed, and fun-loving personality have already been a great addition to the team. Big things to come for him. pic.twitter.com/BvtD7DG6IG
Beadlescomb won the event in the time of 13:25. It was one of the more competitive B.A.A. 5K all time. Taking second and third were Canadian Ben Flanagan in the time of 13:26 and Kenyan Edwin Kurgat with his clocking of 13:27, respectively. Four athletes were credited with the same 13:27 finish time. Defending champion, Canadian Charles “CPT” Philibert-Thiboutot finished in 12th position clocking a 13:32 finish. It was a PB for CPT.
American, Beadlescomb is on a major hot streak. He set at least nine new personal best times over nine events outdoors and indoors in 2022 alone and four more already in 2023. His best may be his indoor mile time of 3:52.03 from February 11, 2022, at the Gately Indoor TF Center in Chicago.
In 2022 the 24-year-old switched to training with Very Nice Track Club in Ann Arbor, Michigan under coach Ron Warhurst.
Flanagan and Hobbs Kessler are teammates. The latter took the B.A.A. Mile title in the time of 4:07.
The women’s 5K
Ethiopian Mekides Abebe took the women’s race in the time of 15:01. It was competitive down to the wire, but only for the top two finishers with Kenyan Agnes Ngetich taking second in the time of 15:02. There was a 10-second gap back to third place finisher Annie Rodenfels clocking a 15:12 performance.
Rodenfels was the first American. The 26-year-old 3000m steeplechase specialist set a new road 5K personal best with the performance.
Abebe is the defending World Championships bronze medallist in the 3000m steeplechase. She also has a fourth-place credit to her Tokyo Olympic Games performance. While her steeple best time is 8:56.08, her road 5K best is 14:35 from Lille, France one month ago.
