NEW YORK -- Former University of Colorado All-American Jorge Torres won the 2008 USA 8K championship on Saturday in Central Park, outsprinting Andrew Carlson over the final 400 meters.

Torres picked up $10,000 for the win. He defeated Carlson by .07 seconds, with both runners timed in 22 minutes, 42 seconds.

Pre-race favorite Alan Webb, the American record holder at the mile, led a tight group through the opening mile in 4:36 with Torres, Carlson and Boulder's James Carney a step behind. For the next two miles, the lead shifted among the group, with Webb taking a slight advantage at 5K, passed in 14:10.

Shortly after 5K Webb began to feel the lingering effects of food-poisoning and began to fall off the pace. At the same time, Carlson began a long uphill push that eventually dropped everyone except Torres and ex-Boulder runner Jason Hartmann.

Shortly after passing four miles in 18:16, Hartmann began to fade as Carlson and Torres continued their duel. With 400 meters to go, Torres made his bid, and made one last push with 200 metes remaining. Hartmann finished six seconds later in 22:48, with Carney fourth and Fasil Bizuneh fifth.

In the accompanying invitational women's 8K, American record holder at 5,000 meters outdoors and 3,000 meters indoors Shalane Flanagan ran 25:40 for a 15 second win over Katie McGregor.