MUELLER, BIGHAM WIN 40TH RICHARD S. CALIGUIRI CITY OF PITTSBURGH GREAT RACE
Burnett, Bower 5K champions; Domos wins Handcycle Division; 40th edition draws 12,000 5K and 10K entrants; All 21 Perfect Great Racers successfully complete 40th race
PITTSBURGH – (Sept. 24, 2017) – At the 40th Richard S. Caliguiri City of Pittsburgh Great Race under warm and sunny conditions, Samuel Mueller of Auburn, AL and defending champion Jennifer Bigham from Pittsburgh were the 10K champions in 31:02 and 35:23, respectively. In the 5K race, Clay Burnett from Chagrin Falls, OH and Natalie Bower from Pittsburgh took the titles in 15:05 and 17:22, respectively.
Mueller, who finished more than 30 seconds ahead of runner-up Kenneth Sullivan from Lakewood, OH, also won the race in 2015. Caleb Muller from Pittsburgh finished third in 31:39.
“I was nervous going in today’s race,” Mueller said. “This was my first big race after recovering from an injury, so I wasn’t sure how it would go. I took an early lead at the start of the race. When I turned the corner toward the finish and could hear the cheers from Point State Park, I knew I was going to win.”
In the women’s 10K race, Bigham easily defended her title finishing more than a minute ahead of runner-up Nicole Hilton from McDonald, PA, who finished in 36:41. Leilani Rios from Beaumont, CA finished third in 36:57.
“Going into the race today, I knew that I wanted to repeat and win,” Bigham said. “I went a little slower today because of the heat but I’m happy with how I raced today. This is one of my favorite and must-do races each year. I live near the start line, so my family was able to come out and cheer me on.”
Attila Domos, 49, from Pittsburgh won the men’s 10K Handcycle Division in 17:05.
Today’s 10K finishers included 21 men who successfully completed their 40th Great Race. Known as the “Perfect Great Racers,” the men have raced in every single Great Race since the event launched in 1977.
Burnett, from Chagrin Falls, OH, repeated as the 5K champion after winning in 2015 and finishing runner-up in 2016. Stewart Jones from Bellevue finished second in 15:17, and Adam Smith from Pittsburgh finished in 16:01.
In the women’s 5K race, Bower from Pittsburgh won the race in 17:22. Lisa Burnett from Chagrin Falls, OH finished in second with a time of 17:25, and Susan Gogniat from Pittsburgh finished in third with a time of 17:56.