Northwest Notes May 4, 2013

Kiprono aims to repeat as

Bloomsday men's champion

SPOKANE - Last year, Kenyan Allan Kiprono cruised to an 18-second victory to capture the Bloomsday title, but this year, his task will be much harder.

Kiprono will be surrounded by a group of runners who have their own sights set on the Bloomsday crown, including past champions Simon Ndirangu and Gilbert Okari, as well as newcomer Emmanuel Bett, who ran the fastest 10,000 meters in the world in 2012.

Kiprano owns the sixth fastest Bloomsday time at 33 minutes, 59 seconds. Ndriangu ran a 33:58 for the win in 2011.

Ethiopians Belete Assefa and Solomon Deksisa are also expected challenge for top honors, and if either wins, it will be the first win by an Ethiopian male in race history.

American Abdi Adirahman, who scratched from this year's Boston Marathon due to illness, is the top-seeded American and will be joined by fellow Americans Ian Burrell, Brent Vaughn, Ben Sathre, Brian Medigovich and Carlos Trujillo.

The women's field will be a mix of Kenyans, Ethiopians, Eastern Europeans and Americans. While last year's winner, Mamitu Daska won't return, 2011 champion Misiker Mekonnin will. Standing in her way will be Kenyan racers Alice Kimutai and Olga Kimayo. Kimutai, who has run the 11th fastest 10k road time (31:51) in the world, is Bloomsday's top seed.

In the elite wheelchair division, past Bloomsday champions Scott Parson (2012) and Aaron Gordian (2011) are expected to battle for the title, while Suzanne Scaroni - the Tekoa, Wash., native - has a chance to become the first local competitor to win the women's division.

Nearly $100,000 in prize money is offered in the race, including a $10,000 purse ($5,000, $2,500, $1,250, $750, $500) for the top male and female Americans who finish in the top 25.

A field of nearly 51,000 runners, joggers and walkers is expected to have entered by the time registration closes today at 6:30 p.m.

Boise State to play hoops

at Kentucky in December

BOISE - The Boise State men's basketball team will face Kentucky in 2013-14, the schools announced.

The game is set for Dec. 10 in Lexington, Ky., and the time will be announced at a later date.

Kentucky, known in recent years for its one-and-dones, won the NCAA title in 2012.