Official Release from Carlsbad 5000

CARLSBAD, Calif.  – March 23, 2015 – Recognized as the ‘World’s Fastest 5k’ with a storied history of 16 world records, no athlete in Carlsbad 5000 history has been more successful than Dejen Gebremeskel.

Gebremeskel, a 25-year-old Ethiopian, has won the last four runnings of the race, following a second-place finish in 2010. On Sunday, he will try and make it an unprecedented five in a row.

It will not be easy. Lined up next to him will be 40-year-old Bernard Lagat, one of the most decorated distance runners of all time. Last year, Lagat finished second, only five seconds Gebremeskel and thought he had broken the American record by three seconds with a time of 13:21. However, on a remeasurement of the course, it was found to be 13.5 feet short, so the record was not acceptable.

“It was absolutely our fault,” Matt Turnbull, elite athlete coordinator for the event. “There's no doubt about it. So Mark Davis' record of 13:24 at Carlsbad in 1996 still stands.”

 

Turnbull said the organizers won't make that mistake again.

 

“We have a new elite course for the first time in the event’s history, and I guarantee we'll be making sure the course is measured properly this year,” he said. “Those things happen. It's unfortunate.”

 

Last year's duel between Gebremeskel and Lagat was decided over the last kilometer. That's when Gebremeskel made a big move and pulled away for the victory.

 

Lagat was not dismayed.

 

“I'm glad it went the way it did," the 4-time Olympian said, “because I'm going to be hungry for even more next year and the year after that.”

Lagat said Gebremeskel had an advantage last year because he was familiar with the course.

 

“I knew from history that the course would be a challenge,” Lagat said. “It's not that easy, even though it looks flat. Experience means a lot at this race.”

 

In its 30-year history, 16 world records and eight U.S. bests have been recorded at the Carlsbad 5000. Of the top 50 5K road marks in history, 45 have been set at Carlsbad.

 

Gebremeskel's best time at Carlsbad is 13:11 in his first victory in 2011. The world record is 13:00 by Kenya's Sammy Kipketer in 2000 and 2001. Kipketer is among the three-time men's winners at Carlsbad, also having won in 2002. The others are Steve Scott (1986-88) and Dejene Berhaus (2003-2005). Berhane's time of 13:10 in 2005 is the closest anyone at Carlsbad has come to Kipketer's record.

 

While Gebremeskel and Lagat have the potential to threaten the mark, there are several runners in the field with strong resumes. There's Lawi Lalang of Kenya, who trains with Lagat and their coach, James Li, in Tucson, Ariz. Lalang, 23, attended the University of Arizona and won eight NCAA championships.

 

Not to be overlooked is 25-year-old Diego Estrada of Flagstaff, Arizona, who returns to Carlsbad after winning the U.S. Half Marathon Championships in January with a time of 1:00:51.

 

And there's Andy Vernon, 28, of Great Britain. He is the European silver medalist over 10,000 meters and has won five national titles in the UK. Vernon has a PR of 13:30for 5K on the roads, which he set at Carlsbad in 2012.

 

Still, Gebremeskel is the one to beat.

 

“You always want to bring back the defending champion and it's up to the rest of the field to try and knock him off his perch,” Turnbull said.

 

It's been very difficult to do that to Gebremeskel.

 

A signature event of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series, the Carlsbad 5000 will celebrate 30 years the weekend of March 27 – 29, 2015. The race is internationally known as the “World’s Fastest 5K” because 16 world records, 8 U.S. records, along with numerous national and age-group records have been set on the scenic oceanfront course. The is home to the current world 5K road records: 13:00, Sammy Kipketer (KEN), 2000 & 2001, and 14:46, Meseret Defar (ETH), 2006. It is the only race from a commonly run distance in the world that is home to the world records and its home country records for both genders.

 

Race weekend kicks off with a Junior Carlsbad pre-registration party on Friday, March 27 hosted at the Carlsbad Village Faire. On Saturday, March 28 more than 1,500 junior racers, age 12 and under, will take part in one of the eleven age group races. All runners receive a t-shirt and finisher’s medal for their efforts. Sunday’s ‘Party by the Sea’ gets started as soon as the first runners cross the finish line. After enjoying the scenic 3.1-mile course, runners aged 21 and over can step into the beer garden, sip two free beers from Pizza Port and enjoy a live music. For more information or to view the full race day schedule, visit Carlsbad5000.com.

 

2015 Elite Men’s Field

 

Dejen Gebremeskel, Ethiopia, Defending champion has won the last 4 editions of the race, 11/24/1989

Bernard Lagat, USA, Four-time Olympian and holder of five American middle-distance records, 12/04/1974

Lawi Lalang, Kenya, An 8 time NCAA Champion competing for the University of Arizona, 06/15/1991

Wilson Too, Kenya, Has a best of 13:47 for 5000m and ran 27:36 for 10k on the roads last year, 03/14/1991

Andy Vernon, Great Britain, European silver medalist over 10,000m, 08/07/1986

Joseph Kitur, Kenya, Finished fourth over 5000m at last summers Commonwealth games, 07/20/1988

James Leakos, Canada, Has a personal best over 5000m of 13.44.57 on the track, 05/13/198

Dan Lowry, USA, Finished 6th at the National Indoor Championships last month, 10/30/1989

Diego Estrada, USA, 2015 U.S. Half Marathon Champion, 12/12/1989

Ben St Lawrence, Australia, Australian record holder for 10,000m with a time of 27.24.95, 11/07/1981

Luke Caldwell, Great Britain, Luke has a personal best of 13.29 for 5000m, 09/02/1991

Mikael Ekvall, Sweden, Has represented Sweden at both the European and World Championships, 06/18/1989

Sam Chelanga, Kenya, Won NCAA titles at 5000m (2011) and 10,000m (2010), 02/23/1985

Haron Lagat, Kenya, Finished at Carlsbad in 2008 with his personal best time of 13:36,08/15/1983

Steve Mangan, USA, Ran 3.58.24 for the mile indoors this year, 04/14/1992

Ethan Shaw, USA, Has set PR’s this year 3000m and 2 miles indoors, 03/12/1990

Ben Bruce, USA, Incredibly won five Rock 'n' Roll Marathons in 2014, 09/10/1982

Andrew Springer, USA, PACER, 03/10/1991