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WHEELING - While the course was different, the Debbie Green 5K Run and Walk had the same result as in previous years - another success and another close race.

Demesse Tefera and Daniel Kipkoech ran shoulder-to-shoulder for nearly 2 miles before Tefera pulled ahead with about 100 meters to go to win the annual race with a time of 14:20.

''It feels good to win,'' Tefera said. ''I was a little upset with my time. I was hoping for under 14 minutes but the course was very, very hard and and it was very humid.''

Kipkoech was second at 14:25.

''He was pushing me hard,'' Tefera said. ''The first mile or so was really hard. The hills made it tricky so I started slower than I wanted.

''Once it got flat, that is more suited to me and I was able to race by. I really like the course. I plan on coming back again.''

Added Race Director Ron Green: ''These guys are competitors.''

Jeff Weiss of Avella, Pa. led for most of the first mile and it looked like he would be out in front early on. But he eventually fell back as as the Ethiopian pair took command on Main Street and held it that way for the remainder of the race. Weiss finished sixth with a time of 15:07.

''Weiss was right there with them,'' Green said. ''I think he wanted to see how fast he could take a mile.

The first local finisher was Wintersville's Eric Laughlin at 16:28.

Buzvnesh Deba was the female winner, coming in at eighth overall with a time of 15:58. It was the first female 15-minute 5K in the state of West Virginia

Megan Metcalfe, a former West Virginia University runner, finished second at 16:08. Kate Hodgson of St. Clairsville was the first local female winner to cross the finish line, coming in at 20:01

''I'm so happy I was able to win,'' Deba said. ''This is my first time here and I really liked it. I wish my husband could have been here with me.''

The male walk winner was Lee Strough of Glassport, Pa., with a time of 28:53. The female winner was Kathy Irvin of Quaker City, Ohio in 31:01.

''There was a ton of people, but I was a little disappointed in the male side,'' Green said. ''They ran a good race, but this course is different. This course is easier than the other course.

''The females ran real hard. Buzvnesh Deba even made some history. Top to bottom, all these runners ran hard.

''The weather was perfect, the rain held out. My mom always said 'Debbie wouldn't let it rain.' She was right, this 12 years and no rain. I'm the luckiest man in the world.''