Approximately 200 competitors participated in the Rooster Run 5K, 10K, and Little Chick’s Dash — the 45th

annual event, benefiting the Newtown Scholarship Association — starting and finishing near the Municipal Center in Fairfield Hills on June 15. Runners had cool temperatures in the 60s for race time.

Justin Halmose won another race, and a neck-and-neck battle produced a close finish among the top women in the 5K, as Lyndsey Fregoe was the top female.

Halmose had some tired legs after having pushed himself only three days earlier when he finished sixth in the CIAC state championship 3,000 meter steeplechase event.

“I just reminded myself I couldn’t just coast. I still had to run hard and push through it all,” Halmose said.

Halmose, 18 and of Sandy Hook, won his third Newtown race in as many tries to begin the season, finishing the course in a time of 17:28.

Fregoe, 33, and of Sandy Hook, came in fifth with a time of 21:52 after being pushed hard by Brookfield’s Molly Reilly, 34, who was sixth in 21:55.

“She kept me going. She was in front of me a bit. I’d pass her, she’d pass me,” Fregoe said.

Reilly got to see her 3-year-old daughter, Maeve, run the Little Chick’s Dash before going out on her course.

Phil Tisi, running his first 10K race, showed he was up to the double-the-miles challenge by winning the race. The 37-year-old Newtown resident came across the finish line in a time of 42:12.

“You have to preserve yourself early and push yourself later on,” said Tisi, who is a regular in Newtown 5K races.

Sam Curtin, who runs 10Ks for Stonehill College’s track program, made her first Newtown race a success by leading way among the females.

“The hills are tough. I wasn’t expecting that,” said Curtin, 20, who finished third overall, in a time of 43:10.

Curtin ran the race along with fellow Stonehill athlete Joey Conrod, a former Newtown High School tennis player who is continuing his career on the collegiate courts. Conrod placed third overall in the 10K. Conrod was second in the 10K, also finishing in 43:10.

Brookfield’s Billy Hunt, 24, was second in the 5K 19:09.

The next three finishers represented Newtown/Sandy Hook. Jon Nahmias, 18, was third in 21:50, officially edging Andrew Poseno, 16, who finished in the same time by got fourth. These runners turned it on for a photo finish and virtual tie.

After Fregoe and Reilly, Southbury’s Ray Weitekamp, 45, came in seventh with a time of 22:01. Newtown’s Matteus Costa, 36, was eighth in 22:36. Danbury’s Jake Jakobson, 50, came in ninth with a time of 22:41. Newtown’s Alexa Kwarcinski, 11, rounded out the top ten by completing the course in 23:59.

In the 10K, Tolland’s Jeff Schroeder, 46, was fourth in 48:48; Lee, N.H. runner Jonathan Nash, 35, was fifth in 47:32; Bethel’s Shawna Nickerson, 37, came in sixth in 47:45; Cheshire’s Monica Lombardi, 29, was seventh in 47:47; Sandy Hook’s Brendan O’Rourke, 56, placed eighth in 48:00; Waterbury’s Paul Baldini, 47, was ninth with a time of 48:33; and Wethersfield’s Craig Beers, 53, was tenth in 48:42.

Race winners were not included in age division results.

Female age division 5K winners are as follows: 12 and under: Kwarcinski 23:59; 13-19: Alexa Norton, 13, 27:02; 20-29: Madeline Kabasakalian, 21, 26:27; 30-39: Reilly; 40-49: Danielle Marion, 47, 27:49; 50-59: Leanne Morris, 54, 27:52; 60-69: Barbara Graf, 60, 24:58; 70 and up: Pat Smith, 72, 32:01.

Male age division 5K winners: 12 and under: Aarav Shetty, 9, 25:00; 13-19: Nahmias; 20-29: Hunt; 30-39: Costa; 40-49: Weitekamp; 50-59: Jake Jakobson, 50, 22:41; 60-69: Fred Randall, 65, 31:09; 70 and up: Robert Alling, 70, 26:19.

Female age division 10K winners: 13-19: Katya Kost, 17, 56:51; 20-29: Monica Lombardi, 29, 47:47; 30-39: Nickerson; 40-49: Catherine Kost, 46, 55:20; 50-59: Marybeth Doolan, 52, 56:18; 60-69: Bonnie Lees, 65, 1:05:39.

Male age division 10K winners: 13-19: Conrod; 30-39: Nash; 40-49: Schroeder; 50-59: O’Rourke; 60-69: Greg Ritzinger, 62, 51:50.

For complete results, visit the Plattsys Timing website, plattsys.com.