HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Gilbert Boit (above) won the 42nd Cotton Row Run 10K by one-hundredth of a second Monday in the closest finish in race history.
Boit, of Arkansas, won in 29:35, nipping Shadrack Keter of North Carolina at the wire. Keter’s time of 29:36 came as the two waged a furious burst in the final downhill stretch. Josh Whitehead of Huntsville was third in 33:00.
Sarah Nabei of North Carolina won the women’s title in 35:09 and was fifth overall. Gisela Olalde of Nashville was second female (11th) in 36:38, and Purity Munene of South Carolina was third (13th) in 36:38.
Bill Penney Toyota was the presenting sponsor. Other sponsors were Fleet Feet, The Orthopaedic Center, Just Love Coffee, Coca Cola, Domino’s, Panera Bread, Publix and Forestwood Farm.
See all the Cotton Row Run 10K results here.
Boit, a native of Kenya, competed collegiately at the University of Arkansas. Among his achievements:
- Three-time NCAA first-team All-America | Cross Country (2), Indoor (1)
- Three-time SEC Champion | Cross Country (1), Indoor (1), Outdoor (1)
- 2018 SEC Cross Country Champion
- 2019 SEC Outdoor 5,000m Champion; Outdoor Silver in 10,000m; Indoor 5,000m Champion
- 2021 SEC Outdoor Silver | 10,000m
- 2021 SEC Indoor Silver | 5,000m
Keter and Nabei, also a native of Kenya, live in Chapel Hill, a hotbed for runners in the Southeast. Both have recently won other races this year.
The final 10K finisher out of 1,279 to cross the line was Wilburn Douglas, 75, of Huntsville, in 1:45:47.
Cotton Row Run 5K Results
Allan Anderson of Huntsville easily won the Cotton Row Run 5K in a fast time of 15:59.
Adam Wallenfelsz of Madison was second in 17:13, and Ryan Seballos of Huntsville was third in 17:37.
Margaret Martz, 17, of Lookout Mountain, Tenn., won the female title in 20:51. She was 20th overall. Elizabeth Cain of Sommerville, Ala., was second (33rd) in 21:56, and Tabytha Hartland of Madison was third (34th) in 21:56.
The race had 1,047 finishers. To see all the Cotton Row Run 5K results, go here.
For all the results including age group, teams and others, go here.
MAIN PHOTO — Gilbert Boit of Arkansas glances back at Shadrack Keter of North Carolina as the two battled down the stretch Monday morning in the 42nd Cotton Row Run in Huntsville. PHOTO BY PETE SCHREINER
