Folk, Odorcic repeat as Peace Race winners; controversy surrounds Kenyan

By John Bassetti | October 4, 2009 at 2:00p.m.

Youngstown Peace Race 2009

About 1,300 runners competed in the 35th annual event today.

YOUNGSTOWN — It was a Youngstown Peace Race of repeat winners Sunday as Matt Folk and Jessica (Kuhr) Odorcic were the first man and the first woman to cross the finish line, but overall runner-up Elijah Nyabuti walked away from the awards table without his $500 check.

While the Kenyan was probably muttering to himself the famous line from the Jerry Maguire movie: “Show me the money,” Peace Race officials were asking Nyabuti and his associates to “show me the proof.”

While Folk, from Oregon, Ohio, was collecting $1,000 as the 10K winner — his third win since 2005 — Elijah was told that he needed proof of citizenship and proof of Ohio residency before he would be eligible for his monetary prize.

“If he can prove the residency, we’ll pay out,” said Jenn Wohlgamuth, Peace Race president said after explaining the requirements.

About 1,300 runners participated in the 35th Youngstown Peace Race in downtown Youngstown and through Mill Creek Park on Sunday.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and Vindy.com.