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Athletics: The 39th Annual Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run Women's Race a Close Call as Tinega Bests Risper Gesabwa by One Second finninsh.

WASHINGTON, DC --A new race record in the men's competition and a spirited battle for the women's title highlighted the 39th annual Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run on Sunday morning.

Ethiopian Lelisa Desisa shook off last year's heartbreaking runner-up finish with a time of 45 minutes, 36 seconds. His time broke the old race record of 45:38, which had stood for 16 years since Ismael Kirui posted his then-word record time. Meanwhile, Julliah Tinega outlasted Risper Gesabwa in the women's event, besting her fellow Kenyan by a single second with a winning time of 54:02.

Desisa lost a contentious final sprint in 2010 to finish one second behind Stephen Tum. But the 21-year-old would not be denied in 2011. He crossed the finish line six seconds ahead of second-place Allan Kiprono and a full 51 seconds ahead of Ridouane Harroufi, the two-time event champion who took third.

"Last year I was happy. Today I'm even more happy to be the winner," Desisa said. "The weather was good today. I knew what the [race] record was and I wanted to beat that time."

Tinega also avenged a runner-up finish from last year. But unlike Desisa, the 25-year-old was a distant second at the 2010 Cherry Blossom by 48 seconds to Lineth Chepkurui. Tinega, Gesabwa and Ethiopian Tgist Tufa broke free from the pack for good at about the 8-mile mark before the two Kenyans pulled away in the final 1/2 mile. Tufa (54:13) placed third. Alemtsehay Misganaw (55:17) was fourth overall, and the United Kingdom's Claire Hallissey (56:17) took fifth.