PLYMOUTH (6/20/04) - Though the day belongs to daddy, 15-year-old Rebekah Smeltzer keeps racking up victories at the Plymouth YMCA Father's Day Run.

In 2002, Smeltzer won the 5K with a time of 19:36. Last year, she won the 5K (18:57) and 10K (41:01), and finished runner-up in the one-mile (6:32). She swept all three races this year.

If the Monroe Jefferson High School sophomore-to-be was burnt out after winning two state track titles two weeks earlier, it certainly didn't show. Smeltzer started the day by winning the mile in 5:54, edging Rachel Gutierrez, 17, of Fenton (5:59) and Megan Yanck, 12, of Plymouth (6:08).

Smeltzer then moved on to the 5K, where she ran the first two miles with University of Michigan harrier Andrea Parker. "On the third mile, she surged and got about 10 to 15 meters on me," said Parker, 21, of Livonia. "I couldn't make up the difference."

Smeltzer won that race in 17:32, with Parker second in 17:40. Rebekah's sister, Carrie Smeltzer, 21, of Monroe, took third in 19:16.

The younger Smeltzer capped the cool, sunny morning by clocking a 37:53 in the 10K. Her closest rivals were Vicki Palis, 23, of Canton (39:42) and Carrie Smeltzer (41:16).

With her three wins, Rebekah Smeltzer was the obvious winner of the MDG Triple Race competition. Her combined time for the mile, 5K and 10K was 1:01:19. Second was her sister Carrie (1:06:43).

The men's Triple turned into a battle between Ryan Gall and Eric Mink.

Gall, 20, of Ann Arbor, began the day winning the mile in 4:59. Scott Stryker, 32, of Oxford, took second (5:00) and Mink, 20, of Livonia, third (5:06).

Adam Wheeler, 27, of Westland, won the 5K (16:17), with Gall second (16:28) and Mink third (16:39).

Mink ended the morning claiming the 10K in 34:34, but Gall followed right behind him in 34:45. Jamie Cope, 23, of Ann Arbor, bagged third in 35:25.

So for the three races, Gall's combined time was 56:12 to Mink's 56:19.

"I run the 800 in track (at the University of Michigan), so I'm not really a distance runner," Gall said. "But I've been doing a lot of mileage getting ready for cross country season, so I decided to go for the Triple."

Kurt Schneider, 45, of Harper Woods, and Donna Olson, 54, of Bloomfield Hills, also went for the Triple. Schneider's combined times for the mile (5:18), 5K (18:10) and 10K (38:50) equaled 1:02:18 and gave him the masters title. Olson's mile (6:56), 5K (22:09) and 10K (46:42) added up to 1:15:57 and the women's masters crown.

Event proceeds went to Plymouth YMCA Strong Kids scholarships, which ensures no child is turned away from a Y program due to inability to pay. Fun also included 5K and one-mile walks, plus three children's races.

For complete race results, visit www.gaultracemanagement.com. MR