By David Monti, @d9monti | (c) 2024 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
MECHANICSVILLE, VA. (20-Jan) — On a sub-freezing day in a rural suburb of Richmond, Weini Kelati (Under Armour/Dark Sky Distance) and Cooper Teare (Nike) won the open 10k titles at the USATF Cross Country Championships at Pole Green Park, the national team selection event for the 2024 World Athletics Cross Country Championships on March 30 in Belgrade. Kelati, 27, showed no signs of fatigue from her USA half-marathon record performance last Sunday in Houston, pulling away from her rivals early and covering the mostly flat 10-K course in 32:58.6. Teare, 24, waited for the final kilometer to make his bid for victory, winning by a comfortable five seconds in 29:06.5.
The top-six finishers in the open and under-20 races earned spots on Team USATF for Belgrade.
KELATI OVERWHELMS THE COMPETITION
Kelati took a cautious approach to today’s race. Not only did she have last Sunday’s half-marathon still in her legs, but she also felt sick in the middle of the week and wasn’t sure if she would even start today.
“After the half-marathon I didn’t know what to expect,” Kelati told Race Results Weekly. “I had something; I was really, really sick. I didn’t know if I was going to do it, but Wednesday I felt better. I wanted to go and make the team. It didn’t matter what place I get.”
Through 3-K she ran in a pack of 12 women, including key rivals Emma Grace Hurley, Katie Camarena, Katie Izzo, Cailie Logue, Abby Nichols, and Allie Ostrander. But after the 4-K mark, Kelati shot ahead, a move that only Camarena could cover.
“Coming here today I was like, I don’t want to take it from the beginning because when I do I want to do it the right way,” Kelati continued. “So I waited.”
But by the time she hit the 5-K mark (16:47) Camarena was already seven seconds behind and needed to worry about Hurley who was patiently closing the gap. For the final four kilometers, Kelati ran strong splits (3:10, 3:21, 3:13 and 3:11) and was never challenged. Today’s win represented her first national cross country title and her fourth national title overall. She plans to take her team spot for the World Athletics Cross Country Championships. She finished 21st in the 2023 edition of those championships and was the second American.
“It’s going to be fun,” Kelati said of running in Serbia. “Hopefully this time we come back with better results. I’m ready to do it.”
Hurley and Camarena tussled for the remainder of the race. Hurley had a slight edge at the 9-K point, but ultimately it came down to the final sprint where Hurley put about four seconds on her taller rival, 33:35.9 to 33:40.3. Hurley was thrilled with her race.
“I feel like you’re never really safe in a race like this,” Hurley told Race Results Weekly. “You’re always thinking someone’s coming up on you. But, I felt really comfortable in that fourth loop and by then you’re almost home, and being someone who is a little more of a strength runner than speed I felt pretty comfortable by that point.”
Ostrander –a three-time NCAA steeplechase champion who had stepped back from elite athletics at the end of 2021 to focus on her mental health– finished a rousing fourth, just edging former Iowa State star Cailie Logue, 33:52.5 to 33:52.7, in a sprint finish. Abby Nichols got the sixth and final team spot, clocking 34:09.4. Katie Izzo, who was expected to contend for a podium spot, had an off-day and finished eighth.
TRIATHLETE PEARSON MAKES THE MEN’S RACE
Olympic triathlete Morgan Pearson put his running chops on full display today, and was the main instigator in the men’s open 10-K. The tall, Boulder-based athlete was just a half a step behind defending champion Emmanuel Bor at the 3-K mark (8:54), and stayed with the top contenders –including Ahmed Muhumed, Emmanuel and Hillary Bor, Teare, Anthony Rotich, Christian Allen, Anthony Camerieri and Reid Buchanan– through 7-K (20:39).
“It felt really easy, and you’re looking around and there’s a bunch of milers (I mean, Cooper does the 5-K and mile), Rotich (former NCAA mile champ), and I got to at least try from pretty far out,” Pearson explained. “I’m not going to outkick those guys.”
Pearson ran the eighth kilometer in a snappy 2:53.9. Teare was able to cover that, but it was a strain for the others. Teare upped the ante and ran the ninth kilometer in 2:50.9, then blazed the final kilometer in 2:42.6. That put the 24 year-old out of reach from his rivals. He had come here to Mechanicsville mostly to test his fitness, but he was happy to take the win.
“It’s great to be one-for-one coming into such a big year,” Teare said. “This is one of those things more where you just come in and test where you’re at. Definitely some big changes in the last six months or so. I’m really glad to see that it’s all coming together.”
Pearson battled valiantly in the final 500 meters, but ended up fourth, passed by Rotich (second in 29:11.6) and Muhumed (third in 29:12.6). Still, he was satisfied with his performance, especially since he did not taper his training before the race.
“I felt pretty strong, but Cooper was going too fast for me,” Pearson said. “I was with Rotich going into the last 500 meters and it felt nice. But, I don’t know man, up that hill my legs got really tight. He got me pretty bad, then Ahmed Muhumed was flying in. I would have liked to be second, or third or first, but fourth is solid on the day.”
Emmanuel Bor, the defending champion, finished fifth in 29:26.5 and the final team spot went to the University of Utah’s Christian Allen in 29:27.0.
Or maybe not. Seventh place Reid Buchanan and eighth place Anthony Camerieri are likely on the team because Teare said that he was unlikely to take his team spot (he’s focused on indoor track), and Person said that as tempting as it was, World Cross didn’t fit in with his 2024 Olympic plans.
“I qualified for Paris already, and I’m already skipping races… to focus on training and limit travel this year,” Pearson explained. He continued: “It would be an honor, and in any other year I would go. But, it would be irresponsible for me to go.”
MACCHIA WINS U20 WOMEN’S RACE, GUN TO TAPE
Zariel Macchia may only be a junior in high school, but the 17 year-old from Mastic Beach, N.Y., is already a seasoned racer. She seized the lead in the U20 women’s race early and was the contest’s only leader. She got a fierce challenge from Allie Zealand of Lynchburg, Va., in the final 500m, but Macchia had the stronger sprint, winning 20:31.0 to 20:31.9. She moved up from third place at these championships one year ago.
“I wanted to get top-six, of course, but I’m in really good shape right now and haven’t really tested myself,” Macchia told Race Results Weekly. “I had it on my mind if it works out and I’m able to stay with the front girls the whole time that I do think I had a chance to win. So, I went for it, pushed the pace. I wanted to make sure it was a good race.”
NC State’s Jolena Quarzo got third (20:44.0), and fourth went to Mary Bonner Dalton of Charlotte, N.C. (20:46.7). The last two team spots went to Maddie Gardiner of Charlottesville, Va. (20:48.2) and Ellie Shea of Belmont, Mass. (20:53.3). Shea was the runner-up last year.
NOTRE DAME’S SANCHEZ WINS U20 MEN’S RACE
Notre Dame freshman Kevin Sanchez was the surprise winner of the U20 men’s race. Sanchez, who redshirted the NCAA fall cross country season, upset the University of Colorado’s Kole Mathison, 24:07.1 to 24:18.4. Sanchez, who has dual citizenship with Mexico, was with a pack of 12 through 5-K (15:23). But he took the lead in the sixth kilometer then hammered the next two in 2:51.1 and 2:48.3, respectively. He won going away by 11 seconds, then immediately fell to his knees in disbelief.
“Honestly, primary objective was just to get the team,” Sanchez told Race Results Weekly. “But, I knew I was in contention for the win and just put everything out there on the course showed them what I got.”
After Sanchez and Mathison, the remaining four team spots went to Noah Breker of Plymouth, Minn. (4:21.0), Aidan Jones of Minneapolis, Minn. (24:23.3), Birhanu Harriman of Georgetown University (24:24.8), and Berkley Nance of Richmond, Va. (24:25.7).
DIMOFF AND BRADEN TAKE MASTERS TITLES
Carrie Dimoff of the Bowerman Track Club and Forest Braden of the Colonial Road Runners won the masters titles. Dimoff, 40, who was also the individual masters champion at the USATF Club Cross Country Championships last month in Tallahassee, overcame an early challenge from marathoner Renee Metivier (Team Red Lizard), but pulled away in the second half to win the 6-K race by 31 seconds in 21:15.5.
“I was just so pumped to get here last night,” said Dimoff, who has been dealing with icy weather in Portland, Ore., where she lives and trains. “I’ve come all this way. It was just so hard just to be on the starting line, I better make the most of the opportunity.”
Braden, 40, who is the head distance coach at the College William & Mary in nearby Williamsburg, led from gun to tape, covering the 8-K course in 25:34.4. Many of his athletes were here to cheer him on.
“I just wanted to naturally run where I felt comfortable and that’s what it was,” said Braden after getting handshakes and back slaps from his athletes. He continued: “So, I coach at William & Mary. Had a big crew of athletes out here cheering me on. When your athletes are watching what you do, you better execute what you’re telling them what to do, or you’re in trouble.”
