Ramakongoana, Naibei Win PRRO Championship Titles at Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K

May 9, 2024

At the 48th race edition, $86,000 awarded; unclaimed PRRO Super Bonus grows to $20,000 for 2025 PRRO Championship; Boilermaker 15K opens PRRO Circuit 2024-25 on July 14 in Utica, NY

SPOKANE, WA /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – On a cool, rainy, windy morning on Sunday, May 5, Tebello Ramakongoana of Lesotho and Sarah Naibei of Kenya won the 27th PRRO Championship races at the 48th Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K, clocking 34 minutes, 40 seconds and 39:00, respectively. Each earned $7000 Open prize money plus $2500 as the PRRO champion, awarded to the winner of the PRRO Championship who did not win any event on the 2023-24 Circuit and thus was not eligible for the $15,000 PRRO Super Bonus.

In both races, Ramakongoana, 27, and Naibei, 25, separated themselves from their competition going up famed Doomsday Hill just before the 5 mile mark and went unchallenged to the finish line. For Ramakongoana, who finished 4th at last year’s World Championship Marathon, his first appearance here produced the first Bloomsday and PRRO champion from Lesotho. Last year, Naibei was 8th here and ran nearly two and a half minutes faster this year in securing the women’s title.

Race runners-up were American Diego Estrada from Flagstaff, AZ and Kasanesh Ayenew Baze of Ethiopia, in 34:50 and 39:25, respectively.

“Congratulations to both first time PRRO champions who impressively ran dominant races under inclement weather conditions at the 27th PRRO Championship hosted by Bloomsday,” said Don Kardong, Professional Road Running Organization (PRRO) Circuit President and Bloomsday founder.

Overall, $81,000 in prize money plus $5000 PRRO Championship money was paid out.

More than 28,000 finished the iconic Bloomsday, an annual spring 7.46 mile road race, fostering health, fitness and the community spirit of the Lilac City.

For complete 2024 race results, go to: bloomsdayrun.org

The Boilermaker 15K opens the 2024-25 PRRO Circuit on Sunday, July 14, 2024. Because the $15,000 PRRO Super Bonus went unclaimed at Bloomsday, it will increase to $20,000 for the 28th PRRO Championship presented by Boilermaker in July 2025.

The PRRO Circuit showcases world class competition at four of America’s Classic Road Races™, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile in Washington, DC, the Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K in Spokane, WA, the Boilermaker 15K in Utica, NY and the Quad-City Times Bix 7 in Davenport, IA. Circuit 2023-24 prize money totaled more than $350,000 in guaranteed prize money overall, including $147,100 in U.S.-only money. The PRRO Circuit, a nationwide series of premier non-marathon road racing events, is organized and promoted by the Professional Road Running Organization (PRRO), an alliance of race directors.

SUMMARY OF EVENTS ON THE 2023-24 PRRO CIRCUIT

Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K, May 7, 2023, Spokane, WA

$81,000 in prize money ($20,000 U.S. prize money)

WINNERS: Jemal Yimer, Ethiopia, 33:58 and Yeshi Kalayu, Ethiopia, 38:49

Boilermaker 15K, July 9, 2023, Utica, NY

$65,100 in prize money ($14,500 U.S. prize money)

WINNERS: Jemal Yimer, Ethiopia, 42:06 and Jesca Chelangat, Kenya, 47:33, course records

Quad-City Times Bix 7, July 29, 2023, Davenport, IA

$50,000 in USA Championship prize money

WINNERS: Biya Simbassa, USA, 32:35 and Kellyn Taylor, USA, 36:33

Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile, April 7, 2024, Washington, DC

$80,600 in prize money ($42,600 USA Championship and RRCA prize money) plus performance bonuses

WINNERS: Wesley Kiptoo, KEN, 45:54 and Sarah Chelangat, UGA, 51:14, course record

THE 27th PRRO CHAMPIONSHIP

Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K, May 5, 2024, Spokane, WA

$81,000 in prize money ($20,000 U.S. prize money)

CHAMPIONS: Tebello Ramakongoana, LES, 34:40 and Sarah Naibei, KEN, 39:00

To-date, PRRO Circuit events have produced 17 world and 19 U.S. road records, awarded more than $8.4 million in prize money and seen more than 2.7 million runners cross their finish lines. In addition, since 1996, the PRRO Championship race has paid out more than $2.2 million including $188,500 in PRRO Championship bonus money.

PRRO Championship and Circuit Year

The PRRO Circuit, launched in 1995, starts and finishes the Circuit Year at the same event that will also host the season-ending PRRO Championship race. The reigning titlists of the PRRO Championship and the event winners on the current Circuit are eligible to compete for the PRRO Super Bonus at the PRRO Championship.

Visit PRRO.org for more information, including its history and past champions, as well as how to join the PRRO Circuit.

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