Masters Women 5K: Yee Dominates as Ribeiro and Solem Stage a Photo Finish for the Podium

• Sabina Yee, 60, wins in 26:16 — a full 1:23 clear of the field, running 8:27/mi to take the Masters Women title.
• Two seconds, two places: Tami Ribeiro (2nd, 27:39) and Cheryl Solem (3rd, 27:41) were separated by just two seconds after 3.1 miles.
• Age is no barrier at the front: the top three — ages 60, 49, and 57 — finished well clear of the rest of a 246-woman field.
• Tight mid-pack battle: Janet Teixeira and Stephanie Alaniz (7th and 8th) both clocked 29:29, with official timing separating them by the slimmest of margins.

Sabina Yee of Lemoore made the Masters Women race her own from the gun. The 60-year-old crossed in 26:16 at 8:27/mi — a pace that left the rest of the field chasing shadows. By the time second place was decided, Yee had been done for over a minute, her margin of 1:23 over runner-up Tami Ribeiro speaking louder than any post-race analysis could.

Behind Yee, the real drama was a two-second thriller for the final podium spot. Ribeiro, 49, from Kingsburg, held off Clovis's Cheryl Solem, 57, with 27:39 to Solem's 27:41 — a gap that barely registers on a clock but meant everything in the standings. Evie Bell of Fresno came through in 4th at 28:43, with Jennifer Nelson (5th, 29:10) and Kathryn Ross (6th, 29:18) rounding out a compact chase group.

Further back, the race delivered another moment worth noting: Janet Teixeira of Fresno and Stephanie Alaniz of Coarsegold both stopped the clock at 29:29, with official timing needed to split them into 7th and 8th. Martha Flores (9th, 29:38) was just nine seconds further back, making positions 7 through 9 a genuine cluster. Norma Cantu of Madera, at 62 years old, clocked 30:23 for 11th — one of the stronger performances by age in the entire Masters Women field on the day.