It was an entertaining finish when the three men battled for the finish that included several fist pumps.
University of Michigan standout Ben Flanagan took down a stacked field of elite athletes to take the top honors at the Falmouth Road Race that was held on Sunday (19) in Falmouth, Massachusetts.
Northern Arizona Elite’s Scott Fauble and Kenya’s Stephen Sambu battled with Flanagan with a little more than a mile remaining in the race, but Fauble made his way to the front and led the pack that was narrowed down to six men—Sambu, Olympian Leonard Korir, Haron Lagat, Flanagan, Fauble, and Martin Hehir. The final mile of the race ended with a thrilling kick from the 23-year-old who managed to beat a group that included seasoned road racing champions and an Olympic finalist to cut the tape in 32:21.
“It’s unbelievable, honestly. It’s been a season with a lot of new experiences for me. I’ve found myself at these events that I could only really have dreamed of competing at,” Flanagan told race organizers after the race. “The attitude has been there’s no specific expectation. I know what I’m capable of doing, but there’s nothing to lose coming into these races.”
Fauble crossed the line in second place in 32:23,with Korir closing the podium three in 32:28.
Defending champion Stephen Sambu crossed the line a distant fourth in 32:32.
After crossing the three-mile split in 13:58, Sambu attempted to drop the rest of the field with a surge, but the top pack remained close behind. By the five mile mark, Sambu led a large group of 10 competitors.
Flanagan earned $15,000 in prize money, which he said would be used to pay for his final semester of college at Michigan.
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