Projo Running Blog

Joan Benoit-Samuelson was named the Athlete of the Week by USA Track & Field for her record-setting performance at Sunday's CVS Caremark Downtown 5K. Here is more on what she did, courtesy of the race and (add)ventures:

Women's Marathon Legend Joan Benoit Samuelson Breaks National Record at 2008 CVS Caremark Downtown 5K

Becomes American record holder for women's 50 - 54 age group category
in Providence's 5K road race

Woonsocket, R.I. (September 24, 2008) - Race officials for the 2008 CVS Caremark Downtown 5K today announced that 1984 Gold Medalist Olympian Joan Benoit Samuelson set a national record for her age category while competing in Sunday's 5K race in Providence. Best known for her achievements as a Marathoner, the National Track & Field Hall of Famer covered the CVS Caremark Downtown 5K course in a women's 50 to 54 age-group record of 17 minutes and 24 seconds. The previous record of 17 minutes and 28 seconds was set by Shirley Matson in Carlsbad, California in 1991. As a result of Benoit Samuelson's accomplishment, she has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week.

"This is an amazing accomplishment," said Charlie Breagy, Race Director of the CVS Caremark Downtown 5K. "At age 52, Joan has set a 5K national record which marathon runners are not known to do! Running the 5K in such a fast time after such a long marathon career is truly remarkable. We're quite happy that she broke the record here at the CVS Caremark Downtown 5K and look forward to having Joan back again."

While a senior at Bowdoin College in Maine, Benoit Samuelson entered the 1979 Boston Marathon as a virtual unknown and wound up setting an American women's record. She won the Boston Marathon for a second time in 1983 despite having undergone surgery in both Achilles tendons in 1981. Then, she won the Olympic trials in 1984 just 17 days after knee surgery. Benoit Samuelson will forever be remembered for her dominating performance in the inaugural Olympic women's marathon in1984 when she beat a field that included other marathon legends such as Grete Waitz, Rosa Mota, Ingrid Kristiansen and Lisa Martin. She is also known for her running achievements in the 1980s when she held the U.S. record for the second fastest time ever by a woman.

The 2008 CVS Caremark Downtown 5K also saw other records broken, including registrants tallying over 8,700 - surpassing the previous 2007 record of 7,000 registrants; a record number of Olympians competing in the 5K - eight in all; and a picture perfect day with temperatures in the high 70's.

Winners of the 2008 CVS Caremark Downtown 5K included Anthony Famiglietti, a New York native now living in Tennessee who won the Men's division with a late surge and a time of 13 minutes and 41 seconds. Famiglietti represented the United States in the Beijing Olympics steeple chase. In the women's division, Shalane Flanagan, a bronze medalist at the Beijing Olympics in the 10,000m and a native of Marblehead, Mass., defended her 5K national title when she won the CVS Caremark Downtown 5K with a time of 15 minutes and 28 seconds.

For complete results on the 2008 CVS Caremark Downtown 5K, go to www.cvsdowntown5k.com. The Web site also features pictures and video from the race.

 Tags  American record CVS Caremark Downtown 5K Joan Benoit-Samuelson

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