Shamrock'n 5K M16-18: Emil Lev-Twombly Runs Away With It

• Emil Lev-Twombly, 1st — 17:10 at 5:32/mi, nearly two minutes clear of the field
• Aidan Bender, 2nd — 18:57 at 6:06/mi, the only other finisher under 21 minutes
• Brian Hanks, 3rd — 20:57 at 6:45/mi, completing a podium separated by nearly four minutes top to bottom
• Tightest battle of the day — 8th through 10th (Anthony John, Jazz Galera, Daniel Mena) separated by just six seconds across 27:44–27:50

Emil Lev-Twombly, the 18-year-old from Carmichael, made this one look easy. His 17:10 finish at 5:32/mi wasn't just a win — it was a statement. The gap back to second place was 1:47, and no one in the 26-man M16-18 field was ever going to close that kind of distance on a 5K course. On a cool, clear morning in West Sacramento, Lev-Twombly ran the kind of race that makes the rest of the field feel like they were competing for second place — because they were.

And second place was worth having. Aidan Bender, 17, out of Sacramento, posted an 18:57 at 6:06/mi to claim the runner-up spot comfortably ahead of 16-year-old Brian Hanks of Lincoln, who crossed in 20:57. Hanks ran a noticeably more measured 6:45/mi pace, finishing nearly two minutes behind Bender — a real gap that reflects a real difference in effort on the day.

The most compelling racing in the field happened well back, where three Sacramento-area runners staged a genuine battle for 8th. Anthony John (27:44), Jazz Galera (27:48), and Daniel Mena (27:50) were separated by just six seconds at the line — all running within a stride of 8:57/mi. That's the kind of finish that makes a 5K worth showing up for.

Further down, Marco Lopez and Ishrael Galera — both 17, both from Sacramento — finished 17th and 18th in 33:29 flat by the clock, though the timing chips put Lopez a fraction ahead at 33:29.26 to Galera's 33:29.65. Less than half a second decided that one. With six additional finishers rounding out the age group, the M16-18 field brought 26 runners to the start line on St. Patrick's Day weekend — and Lev-Twombly made sure none of them could touch him.