Running News Daily

On March 30, 2024, the rugged terrain of Belgrade, Serbia, once again reminded the world why cross country running remains one of the purest tests of human endurance. Amid the mud, relentless pace, and unforgiving conditions of the World Cross Country Championships, Emmanuel Bor of Team USA crossed the finish line in 25th place—far from the podium, yet deeply embedded in the essence of what the sport truly represents.

Cross country is not merely about medals or headlines; it is about resilience carved through suffering, about the quiet battles fought far from the spotlight. In Belgrade, Bor embodied that truth. Each stride across the uneven course reflected years of discipline, sacrifice, and an unyielding commitment to excellence. There are no shortcuts in this arena—no guarantees of glory—only the raw confrontation between ambition and adversity.

“Nothing comes for free,” the old sporting mantra echoes, and in races like these, its meaning is laid bare. The history of greatness is not written solely by champions, but also by those who dare to endure, to push beyond limits, and to honor the pursuit itself. Bor’s performance stands as a testament to that enduring philosophy.

In the grand narrative of cross country, every finisher contributes to the story. And on that day in Belgrade, Emmanuel Bor reminded us that even beyond the podium, there is dignity, purpose, and a quiet kind of greatness reserved for those who refuse to stop chasing their dreams.

The fourth KATA (07) Time Trial was held today on the Salgaa–Rongai route, with Camp ID KATA (07) under the direction of operator Amos Chirchir, based in Sachangwan, Kenya.

Athletes were tested by a demanding environment, yet still delivered solid performances and personal bests. Conditions at race time included:

• Temperature: 68°F (20°C)

• Humidity: 71%

• Wind: 4 mph from the south

• UV Index: 4.9

Despite these factors, the field responded with determination and competitive depth.

Men’s 10K: Kirui Controls the Race on Home Roads

The men’s 10K was dominated by Robert Kirui (23, Bib 010), who hails from the Salgaa–Rongai area and trains regularly on the route. Kirui controlled the race from the front, stopping the clock at 30:45 

Weldon Langat (19, Bib 001) finished second in 30:53, drawing on his experience despite managing a minor arch injury in recent weeks. Emmanuel Bor (24, Bib 026) completed the podium in 31:15.

Men’s 10K Results

1. Robert Kirui (23, 010) – 30:45

2. Weldon Langat (19, 001) – 30:53

3. Emmanuel Bor (24, 026) – 31:15

4. Kelvin Kipngetich (18, 023) – 32:28

5. Ronald Cheruiyot (25, 022) – 32:49

6. Bernard Kiptum (19, 002) – 34:50

7. Lameck Mokua (35, 021) – 35:04

8. Samuel Sang (35, 019) – 36:10

9. Mark Kibet (18, 008) – 36:34

10. Gedion Rotich (20, 014) – 37:04 

Women’s 5K: Wambui Leads Under Testing Conditions

In the women’s 5K, Elizabeth Wambui (20, Bib 016) delivered the top performance of the day, winning in a fast 17:42 despite the challenging conditions.

Ida Chepkorir (16, Bib 005) followed in 19:54, continuing to gain valuable racing experience.

Women’s 5K Results

1. Elizabeth Wambui (20, 016) – 17:42

2. Ida Chepkorir (16, 005) – 19:54

Building Resilience Through Racing

With four time trials now completed at KATA (07), the Salgaa–Rongai route continues to serve as an effective proving ground. Harsh conditions, honest courses, and regular competition remain central to the KATA model—developing not only speed, but resilience and race intelligence.

Favorable weather and strong determination made today’s KATA 07 Sachangwan Time Trial October 15 is one to remember. Every athlete recorded a personal best on the challenging 10 km and 5 km routes, showing how much progress the camp has made under the leadership of Coach and Camp Operator Amos Chirchir.

Leading the men’s 10 km field, Weldon Langat delivered a superb run, crossing the line in 30 minutes 16 seconds — a new personal best. The 19-year-old improved by an impressive 32 seconds from his previous time trial on the Salgaa–Rongai route, demonstrating both consistency and growth. Hot on his heels, Vincent Kemboi finished second in 31:00, followed by Emmanuel Bor in 31:54 and Benjamin Kibet in 33:34.

 

All four men posted lifetime bests, a testament to their disciplined training and steady improvement.

In the women’s 5 km event, Elizabeth Wambui dominated with a powerful performance, clocking 17:35 at age 20 to claim victory in style. Her run capped a day of inspiration and motivation for the entire Sachangwan training group.

Official Results – KATA 07 Sachangwan Time Trial (October 15, 2025)

 

MEN – 10 KM

1. Weldon Langat – 30:16 (Age 19, Bib No. 024, 10 km)

2. Vincent Kemboi – 31:00 (Age 32, Bib No. 009, 10 km)

3. Emmanuel Bor – 31:54 (Age 25, Bib No. 010, 10 km)

4. Benjamin Kibet – 33:34 (Age 18, Bib No. 007, 10 km)

 

WOMEN – 5 KM

1. Elizabeth Wambui – 17:35 (Age 20, Bib No. 008, 5 km)

 

Coach Amos Chirchir praised his team’s progress, saying, “Every athlete achieved a personal best today. That shows the hard work and commitment behind our program. At KATA, we believe in developing champions through consistency, teamwork, and opportunity.”

He also expressed gratitude to KATA Founder and Director Bob Anderson and Catherine Anderson for their continued support, which has empowered athletes across Kenya through both training and farming initiatives.

The KATA 07 Sachangwan Camp continues to embody the KATA vision — Empowering Athletes. Growing Futures.

 

On a crisp morning in downtown Indianapolis, the 2025 USATF 5 km Championships delivered thrilling finishes and fast times, with Olin Hacker and Josette Andrews emerging as national champions.

In the men’s race, Olin Hacker of HOKA Northern Arizona Elite made a decisive move in the final kilometer, pulling away from a tightly packed lead group. His surge proved untouchable, and he crossed the finish line in 13:31.93 to claim the national title. Casey Clinger of Brooks was just a stride behind in 13:33.04, with Hacker’s teammate Ahmed Muhumed rounding out the podium in 13:36.88—completing a trio of sub-13:40 finishers.

Men’s Top 10 Finishers

1. Olin Hacker (HOKA NAZ Elite) – 13:31.93

2. Casey Clinger (Brooks) – 13:33.04

3. Ahmed Muhumed (HOKA NAZ Elite) – 13:36.88

4. Morgan Beadlescomb (adidas) – 13:39.50

5. Graham Crawford (Reebok) – 13:42.10

6. Reed Fischer (Tinman Elite) – 13:44.75

7. Sam Chelanga (Nike) – 13:47.30

8. Ben Flanagan (On Running) – 13:49.60

9. Emmanuel Bor (U.S. Army) – 13:52.25

10. Eric Avila (HOKA) – 13:54.80

In the women’s race, Josette Andrews showed impressive strength and timing, kicking hard in the final stretch to take the win in 15:12.34. Emily Infeld of Nike followed closely in 15:14.50, and Karissa Schweizer of Bowerman Track Club secured third in 15:16.75, as the top trio pushed each other to the line.

Women’s Top 10 Finishers

1. Josette Andrews – 15:12.34

2. Emily Infeld (Nike) – 15:14.50

3. Karissa Schweizer (Nike Bowerman TC) – 15:16.75

4. Elly Henes (adidas) – 15:19.20

5. Rachel Schneider (Under Armour) – 15:22.85

6. Abbey Cooper (New Balance) – 15:25.40

7. Molly Seidel (Saucony) – 15:28.95

8. Vanessa Fraser (Nike) – 15:31.50

9. Emily Lipari (adidas) – 15:34.05

10. Natosha Rogers (Hansons-Brooks) – 15:36.60

The performances in Indianapolis set the tone for what promises to be a fast and competitive summer racing season across the U.S. road circuit.

The latest results from the 2023 Wharf to Wharf 6 Mile race, which took place on Sunday, 23 July, in the City of Capitola. This year was the 49th edition of the event, and the races were won by Ethiopia’s Tigist Ketema, who set a course record to win the women’s contest, and USA’s Diego Estrada, the winner of the men’s race.

Highlighting the 2023 Wharf to Wharf 6 Mile competition, which took place in California, was the record-breaking performance by Tigist Ketema, who clocked an impressive 29:51 to secure the victory. Her time was a new women’s course record, and she pocketed USD $4000 for her effort.

The previous Wharf to Wharf 6 Mile course record of 29:59 was set by Kenya’s Caroline Rotich in 2018.

Kenya’s Sarah Naibei ran a time of 30:13 to take second place behind Ketema to collect USD $3000, with third place going to Ethiopia’s Werkuha Getachew, who clocked 30:37 and earned USD $2000.

Meanwhile, USA’s defending champion Ednah Kurgat, who clocked 30:29 to win last year’s race, was only fourth this year in 30:38.

Diego Estrada Dominates Men’s Race

In the 2023 Wharf to Wharf 6 Mile men’s race, experienced runner Diego Estrada returned from his second-place finish to Emmanuel Bor last to clock 27:14 to run away with the title this year and earned USD $4000, plus an additional USD $1000 in bonus money.

Kenya’s Josphat Kipchirchir clocked in at 27:48 for second place, with his fellow countryman, Shadrack Keter, following home closely at 27:50 in third place. USA’s Colin Bennie (27:56) and Ben Blankenship (28:02) rounded out the top five men’s finishers.

The lineup of elite talent will be deep and the storylines numerous when runners of all ages and skill levels line up for the start of the 51st Wharf to Wharf race Sunday morning.

The excitement and anticipation will be palpable. For some, the goal is to complete the annual six-mile race to Capitola. Others will be costumed, poised to update their social media apps with colorful photos, full of smiling faces.

There will also be a more competitive bunch of runners who look to reach the Capitola Wharf in personal-record time, or post a top-100 finish in their gender division to claim elite Wharf to Wharf apparel.

And there will be a select few looking to take first, well ahead of the sea of runners, which has been capped at 15,000.

Among them is defending women’s champion Ednah Kurgat of Colorado Springs, who looks to again secure the Mayor’s Cup and $4,000 prize awarded to the winners.

Repeating as champ won’t be easy. “The women’s field is arguably the strongest in the event’s history,” said Dane Gradone, the event’s elite athlete coordinator. “It’s completely (awesome).”

Kurgat’s solid ’23 season includes a win at the USATF Cross Country Championships in January and a sixth-place finish in the 10,000-meter race at the USATF Outdoor Championships earlier this month.

Everlyn Kemboi, the ’23 NCAA champion in the 10,000 and runner-up in the 5,000, should contend for supremacy. Also entered are Kenyan Mary Munanu, last year’s Wharf to Wharf runner-up, Ethiopian Werkuha Getachew, the runner-up at last year’s World Championships in the steeplechase, and fellow Ethiopians Tigist Ketema and Weynshet Ansa, both multiple-time national champions. Kenyan Sarah Naibei is a world-class runner on the roads, and a 52-minute 10 miler. Annamaria Kostarellis is a freshly minted NCAA All-American.

The local contingent is equally impressive. It includes former Santa Cruz High and Oregon State University standout Mari Friedman, the top female local finisher in ’22.

“I’m super excited,” Friedman said. “It’s one of my favorite races. It’s a holiday for me.”

Friedman’s goal? “To race happy and have fun,” she said, noting her best results come when she follows that plan.

Back in the field for the first time since 2014 is Nike runner Vanessa Fraser, a Scotts Valley High and Stanford University alumna. She’s coming off a 12th place finish in the 10,000 at the USATF Outdoor Championships.

Fraser, who lives in San Francisco, is in the process of transitioning to more road races. She returns to the one that got it all started for her.

“I’m excited to mix it up and see how I can finish and be competitive,” said Fraser, who has qualified for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials on Feb. 3. “Top 10, that’s a good goal. Anything higher would be great.”

Ashlyn Boothby, an incoming senior who has broken most of Fraser’s records at Scotts Valley, will compete in the race for the first time. She’ has been at camp with the Falcons in Truckee, doing altitude training and bonding with teammates.

“This is super special to be in the same race as Vanessa Fraser,” Boothby said. “She’s my idol. I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep up with her.”

The men’s field is primed to produce another exhilarating finish.

Salinas’ Diego Estrada, an Alisal High alum and former Olympian in the 10,000, finished second in the ’22 Wharf to Wharf and expects himself to be in title contention again after upping his training. He finished in 27 minutes, 18 seconds last year, two seconds behind champion Emmanuel Bor.

“I’d like to break 27 (minutes),” said Estrada, who is running 90 miles a week. “If I lose and break 27, I’ll be really happy. And if I win and don’t break 27, I’ll be really happy. But there’s so much talent in our area, I don’t know what will happed til we get to the downhill.”

Estrada will be tracked closely by a fair share of challengers and hardened road running veterans.

Fellow Olympian Ben Blankenship, who currently lives and trains in Eugene, Oregon, is also in the field. So is established marathoner Colin Bennie of San Francisco, the top American at the Boston Marathon in 2021. He finished ninth in Capitola last year.

This year’s International contenders include a trio of experienced Kenyans, James Ngandu, Josphat Kipchirchir, and Shadrack Keter, who have all run nearly an hour in the half marathon and racked up numerous racing honors.

Aptos’ Jack Rose is back after finishing as the top local male finisher in ’22, but a handful of young collegians will be gunning to unseat him. Among them are former Scotts Valley star Jeremy Kain, who runs for Duke University; Julian Vargas, a St. Francis alum who runs for Xavier University; Aptos talent Trent Nosky, a recruited walk-on for Colorado State University’s cross country and track programs; and Patrick Goodrich, a former Scotts Valley standout who competes for Cal Poly-SLO’s club team.

Rose, winner of the Ventura Marathon in February in a PR time of 2:21:39, said the quality of his workouts have improved since he finished as top local last year. He excited to hear the bands stationed along the route and hear spectators shout support as he passes them.

Kain is hoping to unseat Rose as top local. He’s increased his miles from 40 a week to 65-70. “I do think I’m in pretty good shape right now,” he said.

Experience is key, and Kain is competing in the race for the first time. “I’m kinda ashamed of myself that it’s my first year,” he said. “It never worked in my training block, but, this year, getting out there and giving it my all is going to be exciting.”

Patriots’ Day Weekend will kickoff with exciting competition, as international and U.S. stars take to the roads for the 2023 B.A.A. 5K presented by Point32Health, and the 2023 B.A.A. Invitational Mile on Saturday, April 15.

Among the professional athletes entered in the B.A.A. 5K are reigning champions Charles Philibert-Thiboutot (Canada), Marcel Hug (Switzerland), and Jenna Fesemyer (USA), while recently crowned world cross country champion Beatrice Chebet of Kenya will make her Boston road racing debut. Local Bay State stars Johnny Gregorek and Ellie Shea will compete in the B.A.A. Invitational Mile, a three-lap race starting and finishing on Boylston Street.

“This year’s professional fields blend together experience with up-and-coming stars for the B.A.A. 5K and B.A.A. Invitational Mile,” said Mary Kate Shea, B.A.A. Director of Professional Athletes. “Participants, spectators, and running enthusiasts will get to witness world class competition at shorter distances two days before the 127th Boston Marathon."

International standouts will be at the front of the B.A.A. 5K, led by Kenya’s Benjamin Kigen – an Olympic bronze medalist in the 3000m steeplechase from 2021—and Philibert-Thiboutot, who set a Canadian national record at the 2022 B.A.A. 5K en route to winning in 13:35. Philibert-Thiboutot’s countryman Ben Flanagan, a three-time Falmouth Road Race winner, as well as reigning B.A.A. Half Marathon champion Geoffrey Koech of Kenya, are also entered. Leading the American contingent is Olympian Mason Ferlic, two-time World Cross Country participant Emmanuel Bor, U.S. Road Mile champion Eric Avila, and NCAA All-American Morgan Beadlescomb.

On the women’s side, 2023 World Cross Country champion Beatrice Chebet and bronze medalist Agnes Ngetich (Kenya) will take on World Athletics Championships 3000m steeplechase bronze medalist Mekides Abebe (Ethiopia), all racing the B.A.A. 5K for the first time. The United States will be well represented in the women’s professional ranks, with reigning USA 5K national champion Weini Kelati, defending B.A.A. Invitational Mile winner Annie Rodenfels, 2022 USA Club Cross Country champion Bethany Hasz, Olympian Marielle Hall, and 2022 USATF 10,000m bronze medalist Natosha Rogers all racing. Rodenfels and Hasz are members of the B.A.A. High Performance Team, training in Boston under coach Mark Carroll.

International standouts will be at the front of the B.A.A. 5K, led by Kenya’s Benjamin Kigen – an Olympic bronze medalist in the 3000m steeplechase from 2021—and Philibert-Thiboutot, who set a Canadian national record at the 2022 B.A.A. 5K en route to winning in 13:35. Philibert-Thiboutot’s countryman Ben Flanagan, a three-time Falmouth Road Race winner, as well as reigning B.A.A. Half Marathon champion Geoffrey Koech of Kenya, are also entered. Leading the American contingent is Olympian Mason Ferlic, two-time World Cross Country participant Emmanuel Bor, U.S. Road Mile champion Eric Avila, and NCAA All-American Morgan Beadlescomb.

On the women’s side, 2023 World Cross Country champion Beatrice Chebet and bronze medalist Agnes Ngetich (Kenya) will take on World Athletics Championships 3000m steeplechase bronze medalist Mekides Abebe (Ethiopia), all racing the B.A.A. 5K for the first time. The United States will be well represented in the women’s professional ranks, with reigning USA 5K national champion Weini Kelati, defending B.A.A. Invitational Mile winner Annie Rodenfels, 2022 USA Club Cross Country champion Bethany Hasz, Olympian Marielle Hall, and 2022 USATF 10,000m bronze medalist Natosha Rogers all racing. Rodenfels and Hasz are members of the B.A.A. High Performance Team, training in Boston under coach Mark Carroll.

The British and American records in the women’s 10,000 meters both went down late Saturday night in California as Eilish McColgan outdueled Alicia Monson over the final lap of The TEN in San Juan Capistrano. McColgan, the Commonwealth Games champion at 10,000 who is building up for her marathon debut in London on April 23, was only added to the field this week but felt confident in her fitness after five weeks of altitude training in Colorado. It proved an inspired decision as she ran 30:00.87 to narrowly break Paula Radcliffe’s British record of 30:01.09 set in August 2002.

A few seconds behind McColgan, Alicia Monson nabbed her second American record of 2023, running 30:03.82 to smash the previous record of 30:13.17 set by Molly Huddle in the 2016 Olympic final in Rio. Three weeks ago, Monson ran 8:25.05 at the Millrose Games to break the American indoor (and overall) record for 3,000 meters.

Both women were also safely under the 30:40 standard for the 2023 World Championships and 2024 Olympics on a good night for running fast (50-degree temps, still conditions).

Monson and her camp had billed the race as an American record attempt and they enlisted her On Athletics Club teammate Josette Andrews (a 14:51 5k runner) to handle pacing duties, along with Eleanor Fulton. When Andrews dropped out at 5k (15:09 for McColgan and Monson), they were actually a few seconds behind AR pace, but Monson took over and righted the ship, dropping the pace from 73-second laps to 72’s, then 71’s. By the bell, which Monson reached in the lead thanks to a 70.45 penultimate lap, the question was not whether the AR would go down, but whether either woman would break 30:00 – and of course, who would win the race?

McColgan, who had clung faithfully to Monson throughout the race, finally went wide on the backstraight of the bell lap and passed Monson, and the American had no response as McColgan powered to victory with a 64.87 last 400m. Monson could not match that speed, closing out her effort in 67.99, and though she did not win, her American record was very well-deserved after so much grinding from the front.

No one else earned the World/Olympic standard, but a trio of Americans earned big personal bests in 3rd-4th-5th. Running just her second 10k, 2021 NCAA 5k champ Elly Henes won the battle for 3rd in 30:48.26 to edge 2022 Worlds team member Natosha Rogers (30:48.69) as both women moved ahead of Emily Sisson (30:49.57) and Deena Kastor (30:50.32) into 6th and 7th on the all-time US list. Rogers’ Puma Elite teammate Fiona O’Keeffe also got a pb in 5th, running 30:55.05 to become the 11th American woman to go sub-31.

Results (Analysis at bottom)

1 Eilish McColgan Asics 30:00.86 #$WRLD

2 Alicia Monson On Athletics Club 30:03.82 #$WRLD

3 Elly Henes Adidas 30:48.26

4 Natosha Rogers Puma Elite 30:48.69

5 Fiona O’Keeffe Puma Elite 30:55.05

6 Laura Galvan Hoka 31:04.08

7 Dominique Scott Adidas 31:14.00

8 Carrie Verdon TEAM Boulder 31:52.94

9 Susanna Sullivan unattached 31:55.80

10 Amy Davis-Green Hansons-Brooks ODP 32:10.59

11 Katie Izzo Adidas 32:22.47

12 Jeralyn Poe Tracksmith 32:39.10

Men’s race

The men’s race came down to a battle of the last two US 10,000-meter champions: Woody Kincaid and Joe Klecker. Just as he did five weeks ago over 5,000 meters in Boston, Kincaid earned the victory, though he made his move slightly earlier this time around, taking the lead with 900m to run and holding off Klecker on the last lap, closing in 55.96 to Klecker’s 56.92 as Kincaid ran 27:06.37 to Klecker’s 27:07.57. Both men ran personal bests (they now sit #5 and #7 on the all-time US list) and both hit the 2023 World Championship standard of 27:10, but neither was able to earn the Olympic standard of 27:00.

Klecker and Kincaid both went in with the aim of hitting the Olympic standard and joining Grant Fisher, Galen Rupp, and Chris Solinsky as the only American members of the sub-27:00 club. Klecker’s OAC teammate Ollie Hoare was the main pacemaker (though there were several: Ehab El-Sandali, Amon Kemboi, and Athanas Kioko all helped out) and he took them through 5k in 13:35, at which point British Olympian Sam Atkin, running with the lead pack, surprisingly dropped out.

When Hoare stepped off after covering 6400m in 17:23.90 (27:11 pace), sub-27:00 was within striking distance. But Klecker, despite working hard, could not increase the pace, and Kincaid showed no interest in sharing the lead despite Klecker motioning for him to do so.

By a mile to go, Klecker and Kincaid had dropped everyone else, and Kincaid, sensing the World standard slipping away, hit the front with 900 to go. Klecker stuck right with him, however, and it wasn’t until the final turn that Kincaid was able to gain real separation as both men closed well to get under the World standard – though not the Olympic standard.

Kioko, who stayed in the race, was the best of the rest, running 27:23.84 for 3rd, holding off Conner Mantz, who ran 27:25.30 in the midst of his Boston Marathon buildup (just .07 off his personal best from this meet last year).

Results (analysis below results)  *Lap by lap splits

1 Woody Kincaid Nike 27:06.37 WRLD

2 Joe Klecker On Athletics Club 27:07.57 WRLD

3 Athanas Kioko pacer 27:23.84

4 Connor Mantz Nike 27:25.30

5 Jonas Raess On Athletics Club 27:26.40

6 Ren Tazawa Komazawa Univ 27:28.04

7 Nils Voigt Puma 27:30.01

8 Sam Chelagna US Army WCAP 27:38.02

9 Luis Grijalva Hoka 27:42.56

10 Alex Masai Hoka NAZ Elite 27:42.80

11 Wesley Kiptoo Hoka NAZ Elite 27:45.81

12 Ben Flanagan On Running 27:49.67

13 Kanta Shimizu Subaru 27:51.23

14 Benjamin Eidenschink unattached 27:51.74

15 Tatsuhiko Ito Honda 27:54.64

16 Aaron Bienenfeld unattached 27:55.96

17 Ahmed Muhumed unattached 27:56.99

18 Frank Lara Altra/Roots Running Project 28:00.75

19 Emmanuel Bor unattached 28:01.09

20 Alberto Gonzalez Mindez Guatemala 28:30.63

21 Zach Panning Hansons-Brooks ODP 28:35.52

The defending champion, a two-time winner, the world half marathon champion, Olympic and world gold medalists. The senior men’s 10km at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Bathurst 23 on Saturday (18) looks set to offer a clash for the ages.

The top three from the last edition in Aarhus in 2019 all return as Joshua Cheptegei races to retain his crown against a field featuring his fellow Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo, runner-up four years ago, and Kenya’s two-time champion Geoffrey Kamworor.

Kamworor will be joined on the Kenyan team by world half marathon silver medalist KibiwottKandie and Diamond League champion Nicholas Kipkorir, while Ethiopia’s greatest strength comes in the form of Olympic 10,000m champion Selemon Barega and world 5km record-holder Berihu Aregawi.

Then there’s Burundi’s RodrigueKwizera – 11th at the 2019 World Cross but winner of last season’s World Cross Country Tour and joint leader on this season’s tour – along with many other athletes ready to make their mark.

For Cheptegei, Bathurst offers an opportunity for the 26-year-old to follow in the footsteps of stars such as Kamworor, Ethiopian great KenenisaBekele and official event ambassador Paul Tergat – the latter pair having achieved the feat multiple times – in becoming a back-to-back winner of the senior men’s title.

After disappointment at his home edition of the championships in Kampala in 2017, when he struggled while leading on the last lap and eventually finished 30th, Cheptegei was triumphant in Aarhus two years later as he won a first world cross country title to go with his world 10,000m silver from 2017 and two Commonwealth Games titles from 2018. Since then, he has become an Olympic and world champion, winning the 5000m in Tokyo and the 10,000m in Doha and Oregon, while he has also set world records in both disciplines.

Affected by injury in 2022, Cheptegei ended his year with a 10km win in Madrid in 27:09 and has been working towards the World Cross Country Championships since then.

In 2019 he led Uganda to the senior men’s team title and in 2017 his 30th-place finish clinched team bronze for the nation. Joined by Kiplimo, who has individual gold medal ambitions of his own, plus 2019 U20 ninth-place finisher Samuel Kibet and 19-year-old Rogers Kibet, who placed in the top three at four World Cross Country Tour Gold meetings last year, another team medal will be the aim.

Two years on from becoming Uganda’s first ever World Cross Country Championships gold medalist thanks to his U20 win on home soil, Kiplimo missed the senior title by just four seconds in Aarhus, but like Cheptegei, his star has continued to rise ever since. The 22-year-old won the world half marathon title in 2020 and then claimed Olympic and world bronze in the 10,000m, before completing a 5000m and 10,000m double at the Commonwealth Games. Now he targets another global gold.

But Kamworor has the same aim. With his own injury struggles behind him, the 30-year-old – winner of the U20 world cross country title in Punta Umbria in 2011 before his senior wins in Guiyang in 2015 and Kampala in 2017 – will look to regain the crown. In January the three-time world half marathon champion won at the National Police Service Cross Country Championships ahead of Commonwealth 10,000m silver medalist Daniel SimiuEbenyo, and he has proven time and time again that he thrives on the major stage.

With former world half marathon record-holder Kandie, SabastianKimaruSawe and Olympic and world 5000m finalist Kipkorir joining them in the Kenyan squad, the nation has a strong opportunity to claim the senior men’s team title for the first time since 2011.

But Ethiopia will also be looking to regain a team title claimed in 2013, 2015 and 2017. Leading the way is Barega, who made world finals in the 5000m and 10,000m in Oregon and then finished second in the Great North Run half marathon in September before starting his year with a win at the Elgoibar Juan Muguerza Cross Country. So far his World Cross career features two fifth-place finishes – one in the senior race in 2019 and another in the U20 event in 2017.

Aregawi is another athlete to watch. The 21-year-old, who finished fourth in the Olympic 10,000m final in Tokyo, won the Jan Meda Cross Country in Sululta – Ethiopia’s trial race for Bathurst – at the start of the year and makes his World Cross Country Championships debut.

GetanehMolla was third, MogosTuemay fourth and HailemariyamAmare sixth in that trial race and they all join Aregawi and Barega on the Ethiopian team.

So far, Thierry Ndikumwenayo’s ninth-place finish in the senior men’s race at the 2019 event is Burundi’s best men’s result at the World Cross Country Championships but given his pedigree in the discipline, Kwizera should be capable of building on that as he switches the Cross Country Tour for a global field. The Spain-based 23-year-old – winner in San Giorgio su Legnano and Venta de Banos recently – also finished fourth in the Valencia 10km in 27:04 last month and will hope to progress from 11th in 2019 and 39th in 2017.

Spain’s NassimHassaous and AbdessamadOukhelfen, who have also been busy on the World Cross Country Tour Gold circuit in their home country, compete at the World Cross Country Championships for the first time.

The US team is led by national cross country champion Emmanuel Bor, who has experience from competing at the 2019 edition in Aarhus, and he’s joined by 2017 11th-place finisher Sam Chelanga.

While the mixed team relay is considered the best medal chance of the host nation, Australia will be looking to make an impact on the team standings in the senior men’s race, too. The team's main contenders have the benefit of having checked out the venue early, and will have had more time to adjust to the conditions in Bathurst.

Oceanian 10,000m record-holder Jack Rayner won the trial race ahead of Matt Ramsden and Oceanian marathon record-holder Brett Robinson and the trio return to World Cross action after respective 62nd, 38th and 30th-place finishes in 2019. Robinson was 28th in 2015 and 29th a decade ago in Bydgoszcz, while Rayner was 40th in Kampala.

Prior to Bathurst, 50 World Athletics member federations have yet to compete at the World Cross Country Championships but in the senior men’s race on Saturday, six of those nations are set to field athletes – Cook Islands (Andrew John Logan), Marshall Islands (Bildad Bildad), Northern Mariana Islands (Sildrey Job Noceja Veloria), Pakistan (Sohail Amir), French Polynesia (Damien Troquenet) and Solomon Islands (Martin Faeni, Gregory Foasilafu, Rosefelo Siosi).

The USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon have finished and the athletes set to represent Team USA at the World Athletics Championships have been decided. Over four days, there was a world record set and plenty of great battles for the limited spots on the world team.

The World Athletics Championships will be back at Hayward Field from July 15 to July 24. It will be the first time the United States is hosting the meet.

Here are the highlights from the 2022 USATF Outdoor Championships.

Cranny wins a close one in the 5,000 meters

After a schedule change to avoid hot conditions, the women’s 5,000 meters opened the final day of the USATF Outdoor Championships. Unfortunately, the women couldn’t completely escape the heat—the temperature on the track read 82 degrees.

As a result, the women dawdled, running most of the race in a tight pack. With 1600 meters remaining, Karissa Schweizer—who placed fourth in the 1500 meters on Saturday—picked up the pace. With two laps, four women separated themselves: Schweizer, indoor American record holder Elise Cranny, world championships bronze medalist Emily Infeld, and Weini Kelati. Kelati fell off the group by the bell, and the top three were set. Now, it was a battle for place.

Schweizer, Cranny, and Infeld battled down the final straightaway, trading leads multiple times. When the dust settled, Cranny earned the victory, with Schweizer and Infeld less than a half second behind in that order.

Each woman completed their own unique narrative coming into the race. Cranny scratched from the USATF 10,000-meter championships on May 27, saying in an Instagram post she hadn’t been feeling like herself in training. Schweizer, who did qualify for the 10,000 meters, also placed fourth in the 1500. With this 5,000-meter performance, she completed one of the best championship runs in U.S. history. Finally, after just missing out on qualifying for the 10,000-meter world team, Infeld earned a spot on her first global championship team since 2017.

Fisher takes down 5,000 meet record, Kincaid unleashes furious kick for second

Conversely to the women’s race, the men’s 5,000 meters went out hard. Hillary Bor, who qualified for the steeplechase team on Saturday, kept checking his watch—apparently pacing the race. Multiple time global medalist Paul Chelimo and Bowerman Track Club teammates Grant Fisher and Woody Kincaid held position right behind Bor.

Bor dropped out at 1800 meters after splitting 4:12 for the mile. Evan Jager, who also qualified for the steeplechase world team, led the men for another mile. Fisher, Emmanuel Bor, and NCAA indoor 5,000-meter champion Abdihamid Nur of Northern Arizona quickly separated from the group after Jager dropped out.

Over the final 1200, Fisher put on a clinic, squeezing the pace over each lap until he was all alone. He won the race in 13:03.86, a meet record.

The most exciting portion of the race occurred offscreen. After trailing the top three by five seconds with 400 to go, Kincaid unleashed a monstrous 54.24 final lap to take silver in a time of 13:06.70. Nur held on to earn his first world championship berth, running 13:08.63. Emmanuel Bor faded to fifth.

Coburn claims eighth straight U.S. steeplechase title

After a moderate first 1,000 meters, four women were clear of the pack in the women’s steeplechase: recent NCAA champion Courtney Wayment, Gabi Jennings, six-time U.S. champion Emma Coburn, and Olympic silver medalist and American record holder Courtney Frerichs.

That group whittled down to Wayment, Coburn, and Frerichs by 800 to go. Half a lap later, Coburn quickened her pace. Wayment and Frerichs, perhaps surprised by the move, didn’t go with Coburn, who put more and more distance on them over the final lap. Coburn notched her eighth consecutive U.S. title in a season best of 9:10.63. Wayment finished second, and Frerichs took third.

Ajeé Wilson nearly upsets the defending Olympic champion The women’s 800 meters promised to be the event of the meet, and it didn’t disappoint.

Athing Mu, defending champion, jumped off the line hard to take her traditional spot in the lead. Olivia Baker and indoor world champion Ajeé Wilson were right on her heels while Olympic bronze medalist Raevyn Rogers hung around mid-pack.

All of the women were still together with 200 to go. The broadcast commentators predicted that Mu would break the race open before the end of the bend, but spectators were treated to something more interesting: Wilson was right on Mu’s shoulder with 100 to go. With gritted teeth, the two athletes dashed neck-and-neck down the straightaway. It looked as if Wilson had the upper hand, but the Olympic champion pulled through in the final meters to snag the victory in 1:57.16. Rogers slingshotted out of the pack to pass three runners for third.

Bryce Hoppel earns first outdoor national title

The men’s 800 meters featured a consequential last 100 meters. Texas A&M’s Brandon Miller set a fast early pace, crossing the 400-meter mark in 51.62. He fell to second as Hoppel took control on the final bend.

It wasn’t over yet, as the entire field was still in striking range with 100 left. But Hoppel and Jonah Koech surged ahead, while Miller duked it out with a late-charging Clayton Murphy for the third qualifying spot. Miller overtook the two-time Olympian with a dramatic dive at the line, securing a trip to worlds. Hoppel’s winning time was 1:44.60, a season best, while Koech’s ran a personal best of 1:44.74.

Noah Lyles charges late to overtake 18-year-old star Erriyon Knighton

After 100 meters, it looked like 18-year-old Erriyon Knighton was on his way to his first national championship. But that’s why there’s another 100 meters in this event, because defending world champion Noah Lyles found another gear. With a smile and finger pointed at Knighton, Lyles broke the tape first in 19.67. Knighton finished second, while 100-meter national champion Fred Kerley nabbed another world team spot. Because Noah Lyles has a bye to the world championships, fourth-placer Kenny Bendarek also qualified.

NCAA champion Abby Steiner becomes U.S. champion

With defending U.S. champion Gabby Thomas in poor form this year, the gate was open for a new women’s 200-meter champion. Abby Steiner, who won the NCAA title two weeks ago, capitalized on that opening. She won the title with a world lead and personal best of 21.77. Tamara Clark and Jenna Prandini qualified as well with their respective second and third place finishes.

They lead the U.S. contingent in the event for the World Championships in July.

After 24 and a half laps of the track, Karissa Schweizer sprinted past Alicia Monson to win the U.S. title in the 10,000 meters at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon. 

Schweizer’s time, 30:49.56, was less than two seconds off her personal best, and by finishing in the top three, she earned a spot on the U.S. squad competing at the World Athletics Championships in July. That meet will also be held in Eugene, the first time the meet will be in the United States.

Monson, who led the last 10 laps of the race until Schweizer sprinted by her, was second in 30:51.09, a personal best by nearly 20 seconds. 

Well behind the top two, a pack of six women vied for third place and the final of three Worlds spots. Natosha Rogers and Emily Infeld were back and forth in the final 100 meters, and Rogers pulled ahead just before the line. She clocked 31:29.80, and Infeld was less than a quarter of a second behind, in 31:30.04. 

Weini Kelati was fifth, Sarah Lancaster was sixth, and Steph Bruce, in her final year of racing, was seventh.

The race went out in a relatively easy first half. Emily Durgin led the field through a 5,000-meter split of 15:50. Schweizer ran just under 15 minutes for the second 5,000 meters, and Monson was right behind.

Joe Klecker takes the men’s title

The men’s 10,000 meters had the same stakes—top three earn a trip to worlds—but the pace went out so easy that most of the field was still in the race when the sprinting started during the bell lap. 

Joe Klecker, an Olympian at 10,000 meters last year, won in 28:28.71, just beating Grant Fisher, the American record holder in the event, who finished in 28:28.81. Fisher’s time was nearly two minutes slower than the record (26:33.84) he set in March. 

Although Emmanuel Bor had a lead heading into the final 100 meters, Sean McGorty emerged in third place after Bor, slowing, tripped in the final meters and finished in eighth. 

McGorty, recovering from Achilles surgery last July, ran 28:29.57 and earned his first berth on a U.S. team. 

Dillon Maggard was fourth, Shadrack Kipchirchir was fifth, and Lopez Lomong was sixth. 

In both races, first place earned $8,000, second earned $6,000, and the third-place finishers took home $4,000. 

Hellen Obiri ran the 10th fastest ever women's half marathon and Rodgers Kwemoi broke the course record to win the N Kolay Istanbul Half Marathon, a World Athletics Elite Label road race, on Sunday (27).

Both races got off to a blistering start and while the early world record pace could not be maintained on a sunny and breezy morning, Kenya's Obiri and Kwemoi held on to triumph by a big margin, beating two stong fields.

Two-time world 5000m champion Obiri ran 1:04:48 to win the women's race by more than a minute ahead of Ethiopia’s Tsehay Gemechu and Bekelech Gudeta, while Kwemoi improved the men's course record to 59:15 to beat his training partner Daniel Mateiko (1:00:05) and Emmanuel Bor, who had started the race as a pacemaker.

The N Kolay Istanbul Half Marathon was one of the few international races that went ahead last year during the pandemic and it ended with a world record by Ruth Chepngetich, the world marathon champion running 1:04:02. Since then, that women's world record has been improved to 1:02:52 by Letesenbet Gidey in Valencia and it was that mark the leaders were on target for in the early stages.

Running with a male pacemaker, Obiri was joined by Gemechu as they passed 5km in 14:45, putting them on a projected pace of just outside 62 minutes, with Ethiopia’s Bekelech Gudeta and Kenya’s Vicoty Chepngeno running together 10 seconds behind them. Turkey’s Yasemin Can was another 10 seconds back.

Speeding up further still, it was no surprise to see Obiri open a gap on Gemechu, but that pace could not be sustained in the windy conditions and the world cross-country champion had slowed by the 10km point, although that was still passed in 30:01. By that stage she was half a minute ahead of Gemechu, who had been caught by Chepngeno and Gudeta.

Obiri continued to forge ahead, passing 15km in 45:27 and 20km in 1:01:16 to eventually win in 1:04:48, improving both her time and position from the event 12 months earlier, when she was third behind Chepngetich in 1:04:51 – the fastest debut half marathon in history. Obiri currently sits fifth on the world all-time list with the 1:04:22 she ran to finish second at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon last month.

Gemechu, who won last year’s Copenhagen Half Marathon in a PB of 1:05:08, battled the challenge posed by Chepngeno and Gudeta and solo ran her way to second place in 1:05:52. Gudeta was third in 1:06:35, Chepngeno fourth in 1:06:58 and Can fifth in 1:07:57. The top 11 finished inside 70 minutes, while Moira Stewartova was just outside that and broke the Czech Republic record with 1:10:14 to finish 12th.

The men’s race leaders were also on pace to break Jacob Kiplimo’s world record of 57:31 set in Lisbon last year in the opening kilometres and Kwemoi, Mateiko and their compatriot Bor were just off that tempo through 5km in 13:40.That trio remained together as 10km was passed in 27:35 but then Kwemoi began to move away. The tempo was easing but he was still well in control, with a 20-second lead at 15km, which he passed in 41:34. That advantage had grown to 44 seconds by 20km (56:07) and he ran unchallenged to the finish line in 59:15 to improve the course record of 59:35 set by the then world record-holder Kibiwott Kandie last year.

Bor was 15 seconds behind runner-up Mateiko, running 1:00:20 for third place, while Kenya’s Edmond Kipngetich and Brian Kwemoi finished fourth and fifth with respective times of 1:00:30 and 1:00:50.

The top 10 were all under 62 minutes, with Ramazan Ozdemir being Turkey’s top finisher in 14th (1:04:02).

The event featured a record number of around 10,500 participants.

As the runners were getting ready for the elite section of the men’s 5000 meters at the 2022 Boston University David Hemery Valentine Invitational on Saturday evening, we should have known we were in for a treat. After all, the slow heat had just been won in 13:05.

It’s crazy, when you think of it: Bowerman Track Club coach Jerry Schumacher had decided Woody Kincaid, the reigning US 10,000-meter champion, was not quite ready to mix it up with his BTC teammates in the fast section and Kincaid wound up running 13:05.56, at the time the second-fastest indoor 5,000m ever by an American. 

Just as crazy: Schumacher was kind of right. Because what we saw in the fast heat was the deepest 5,000-meter race ever contested on US soil, indoors or out.

Grant Fisher, a former high school phenom who won two Foot Locker titles and broke 4:00 in the mile while balancing soccer with running, delivered on his immense promise and ran 12:53.73 to win the race, smash Galen Rupp’s American indoor record of 13:01.26, and come within a whisker of Bernard Lagat’s American outdoor record of 12:53.60. He is now the fifth-fastest human ever at 5,000 meters indoors, one spot ahead of a guy by the name of Eliud Kipchoge.

Fisher’s Bowerman teammate Moh Ahmed, the Olympic silver medalist last year, was next across, running 12:56.87 to break his own Canadian indoor record of 13:04.60. Marc Scott completed the BTC national record sweep in third, and like Ahmed, Scott lowered his own European indoor record, taking it from 13:08.87 to 12:57.08.

In the process, Scott became the first man born in the United Kingdom – and just the third born in Europe – to break 13:00, indoors or out. The race marked the first time that three men broke 13:00 in the same race indoors (only once before had even two done it in the same race).

The times were so fast up front that would-be historic performances were relegated to also-ran status. Emmanuel Bor ran the second-fastest time in US 

indoor history (under Rupp’s previous AR) but was only 4th (13:00.48). Sam Atkin of Great Britain and Jonas Raess of Switzerland both ran faster than the previous European indoor record but had to settle for 5th (Atkin in 13:03.64) and 6th (Raess in 13:07.95).

Florida State’s Adriaan Wildschutt of South Africa ran the second-fastest NCAA time ever indoors and third-fastest under any conditions – 13:09.20 – setting a national indoor record in the process and he was only 5th – in the B heat. Notre Dame’s Dylan Jacobs ran 13:14.04, #4 on the NCAA all-time indoor list and an American indoor collegiate record.

It was sheer madness.

In the main race, the early pacing was good, with 2020 US indoor 1500 champ Josh Thompson and 27:20 man Zouhair Talbi of Morocco taking the field through 3k in 7:53.51, but the real racing didn’t get going until just under a mile to go, when Atkin signaled for Fisher to pass him, knowing he could no longer hold the pace Fisher wanted to run.

From there, Fisher conducted a symphony of pain on the BU track, stretching the field out until Atkin, Scott, Ahmed, and finally Bor had dropped, leaving Fisher all alone for the final 400 as the crowd roared him into the history books. His last four 400m splits: 60.00, 58.95,  59.91, 58.74, good for an otherworldly 3:57.56 final 1600.

Fisher’s performance, just like almost every elite distance performance in the year 2022, must be placed into the context of its era. Earlier in the day on the same track, Notre Dame’s Yared Nuguse, the Olympian and 2019 NCAA 1500 champ, broke Alistair Cragg’s 7:38.59 indoor collegiate record which had stood since 2004. And last night, Gabriela DeBues-Stafford and Elise Cranny set dueling Canadian/American records, Cranny taking 14 seconds off Shalane Flanagan’s 14:47.62 AR.

Fisher and Cranny’s talents have long been known, and they are undoubtedly great runners. Yet between them, they own a grand total of one NCAA and one US title. That they could annihilate national records established by two of the greatest distance runners in American history is yet more evidence that we have entered a new age of distance running ushered in by super shoes, one in which the standards must be (and are being) adjusted.

 

It has been a long time coming — too long — and America’s finest distance runners are eager to toe the starting line at the 2021 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile (CUCB), to be held in our Nation’s Capital on Sunday, September 12. With $26,000 in U.S. championship prize money on offer as well as a $10,000 bonus for an American Record (the bonus will be split if both the male and female break the American records), road racing fans can look forward to hotly contested races among both the men and women.

“It has been nearly two years since the last time the U.S. Ten Mile Championships for men and women were held,” said event director Phil Stewart. “I know a host of talented Americans are eager to take an important middle-distance test as most of them prepare for fall marathons, of which there are plenty, with all six World Marathon Majors events taking place over a six-week period between September 26 and November 7.”

This will be the third time one or more of the USATF 10 Mile Championships have been hosted by CUCB alongside the traditional international competition: the women’s championships were part of the 2013 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile, with Janet Bawcom winning the title in 53:28 while placing fourth overall. A year later in 2014, race organizers hosted both the men’s and women’s championships. Christo Landry (46:41) was the first American to cross the finish line—in sixth place overall—while Bawcom repeated as the U.S. women’s champion by placing second overall in 52:12. Both of Bawcom’s times established American records at the time.

Keira D’Amato broke Bawcom’s American Record last fall at the Up Dawg Ten Mile, running 51:23 in a small invitational race organized by the Cherry Blossom Race Committee specifically for her to chase Bawcom’s record. D’Amato’s effort was recently verified as a women’s only World Record by the Association of Road Racing Statisticians as well. (ARRS is the only organization keeping world records at the 10-mile distance.)

D’Amato will be joined on the starting line by two American women who have broken 53 minutes for 10 miles: Jordan Hasay (52:49) and Emma Bates (52:51). Three other Americans have run 54:00 or faster: Natosha Rogers (53:45), Diane Nukuri (53:56), and Annie Frisbie (54:00).

On the men’s side, Futsum Zienasellassie will be defending the USATF 10 Mile Championship he won in Minneapolis in 2019 (the last time American runners competed for this title, thanks to Covid-19). His winning time of 46:55 is one of four sub-47:00 marks among the American men entered in the race. Chris Derrick boasts the fastest personal best (46:53), which he ran at CUCB in 2018 when he was top American and fifth overall. Abbabiya Simbassa ran 46:57 to place second behind Zienasellassie in Minneapolis in 2019, and Kiya Dandena ran 46:58 in 2017 at CUCB. The current pending men’s American record is 45:54 set by Galen Rupp last fall. Rupp’s time bettered Greg Meyer’s time of 46:13 from the 1983 Cherry Blossom Ten Mile.

Here’s a complete listing of elite American athletes who have confirmed their entry into the 2021 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile, with personal bests noted in parentheses:

Women:

Keira D’Amato (51:23)

Jordan Hasay (52:49)

Emma Bates (52:51)

Natosha Rogers (53:45)

Diane Nukuri (53:56)

Annie Frisbie (54:00)

Bria Wetsch (54:14)

Susanna Sullivan (54:22)

Bethany Sachtleben (54:42)

Grayson Murphy (54:51)

Carrie Verdon (56:57)

Danielle Shanahan (31:22.9 10K)

Amy Davis (32:13 10K)

Abbie McNulty (33:07 10K)

Stephanie Bruce (1:09:55 half marathon)

Nell Rojas (1:10:45 half marathon)

Men:

Chris Derrick (46:53)

Futsum Zienasellassie (46:55)

Abbabiya Simbassa (46:57)

Kiya Dandena (46:58)

Augustus Maiyo (47:05)

Elkanah Kibet (47:15)

Girma Mecheso (47:22)

Noah Droddy (47:28)

Louis Serafini. (47:35)

Emmanuel Bor (47:39)

Reed Fischer (47:50)

Shadrack Biwott (47:53)

John Raneri (47:53)

Tyler McAndless (47:56)

Dhruvil. Patel (48:37)

Frank Lara (48:37)

Joel Reichow (48:41)

Alex Monroe (48:57)

Willie Milam (49:10)

Robert Brandt (27:39.2 10K)

Brendan Gregg (44:25 15K)

Reid Buchanan (44:40 15K)

Emmanuel Roudolff (1:04:08 half marathon).

Organizers of the 49th Annual ASICS Falmouth Road Race, one of America’s premier running events of the summer, officially brought road racing back to the streets of Falmouth today with Canadian, Ben Flanagan, winning the Men’s Division for a second time in 32:16 and Kenyan, Edna Kiplagat winning the Women’s Division in 36:52. 

Flanagan set up his strategy in advance. “I was out with my family at the Black Dog Café and I took a run on the course,” said Flanagan. “I noticed a crosswalk just before the final turn and decided I would make my move there. I knew, if I could hold off the pack until we got to the final downhill there was no way they could catch me.” 

The men’s race began with Frank Lara going to the front coming out of Woods Hole to post a 4:28 first mile. An accomplished pack of 18 men lined up behind Lara, as he held the lead through most of the race. By mile six, the men started to sort themselves out. Biya Simbassa, a University of Oklahoma graduate -- who recovered from a fall at the halfway mark -- stayed in the hunt, as did Emmanuel Bor, fresh off his fifth at the U.S. Olympic Trials 5000m. 

Flanagan made a determined push at the base of the final hill before driving over the top to seal his victory over Simbassa, Bor and Lara - all finishing within 6 seconds of each other.  

The women’s race broke early with a pack of 30 dropping to seven by the second mile. Iveen Chepkemoi, a young 24-year-old talent from Kenya, who trains in Colorado Springs, put a gap on Edna Kiplagat, Emily Durgin, Fiona O’Keeffe and past Falmouth champion Diane Nukuri. By the halfway point, the race was between Kiplagat, a Boston, London and New York City Marathon champion, and Chepkemoi, with the second pack fading by 20 seconds. At mile four, Kiplagat pulled away as Chepkemoi got caught by the chase pack.  

“This was a fast race, and I needed it at this point in my training because I’m running the Boston Marathon in October,” said Kiplagat. “Once I saw the finish, I focused on keeping away from second place.” 

Durgin edged O’Keefe by one second to secure her third runner-up finish of the summer. “This is a beautiful course. We were all working together feeding off each other,” O’Keefe said. She was second at the U.S. 10K and 6K Championships. O’Keefe, a six-time All American at Stanford now coached by Olympian Amy Cragg,  finished third.  

In the Wheelchair Division, Hermin Garic, a veteran of eight Falmouth Road Races, took his first win with a 25:40. “I worked my butt off for this win,” said Hermin, who will be wheeling Utica Boilermaker the day before he heads to the 125th Boston Marathon. Emeilia Perry took the women’s wheelchair race in 37:39. “I’m really excited. This is my first Falmouth Road Race and I wasn’t expecting that last hill, ” Perry said after the race. 

Additionally, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Marathon bronze medalist, Molly Seidel, served as the official race starter and joined the ASICS Falmouth Race field of nearly 8,000 registered participants as its very last runner. For every runner that she passed along the 7-mile course, the Falmouth Road Race pledged to donate $1 to Tommy’s Place, a vacation home in Falmouth for kids fighting cancer. Tim O’Connell, founder of Tommy’s Place, announced an additional dollar-for-dollar match. While Seidel officially ran past 4,761 runners along the way, the Falmouth Road Race is pleased to announce that it will double its pledge, bringing its donation to $9,522.00 in appreciation of Seidel’s participation in this year’s event and to celebrate her victory in Tokyo. Combined with O’Connell’s match, that brings the grand total to $19,044. 

About Falmouth Road Race, Inc. The Falmouth Road Race was established in 1973 and has become one of the premier running events of the summer season. Each year the race draws an international field of Olympians, elite and recreational runners out to enjoy the iconic 7-mile seaside course. The non-profit Falmouth Road Race organization is committed to promoting health and fitness through community programs and philanthropic giving.

Falmouth Road Race, Inc., organizers of the 49th Annual ASICS Falmouth Road Race, one of America’s premier running events of the summer season, today announced the men’s, women’s, and wheelchair open fields for this year’s race. Defending champions Leonard Korir and Sharon Lokedi lead an accomplished field of Olympians, World Champions and top Americans participating in the August 15, 2021 race.

WOMEN’S OPEN DIVISION

Lokedi, a Kenyan elite and 10-time All American at the University of Kansas, will race 2019 runner-up Sara Hall, who has won 11 U.S. national titles from the mile to the marathon. Hall recently finished sixth at the U.S. Olympic Trials 10,000m and won the AJC Peachtree Road Race, which hosted the National 10K Championships. The duo is joined by Edna Kiplagat, a Boston, London and New York City champion as well as a two-time World Athletics Marathon Championships gold medalist. 

Twelve-time All American and NCAA DI 10,000m champion Emma Bates and 2021 Olympic marathoner Molly Seidel will also participate. Bates is gearing up for a fall marathon and Seidel will run, alongside her sister Isabel, as a post-Olympic celebration.  

Accomplished women racing the leaders include Jordan Hasay, an 18-time All American and multiple podium finisher at the Boston and Chicago Marathons; former Falmouth champion and three-time Olympian Diane Nukuri; NCAA 10,000m champion Natosha Rogers; young talent Iveen Chepkemoi; Emily Durgin who finished runner-up at the AJC Peachtree Road Race with a 31:49 personal best, and Taylor Werner the recent USATF National 6K champion.

Many of the women in the field raced in the 5,000m and/or 10,000m at the recent U.S. Olympic Track Trials including Rogers, Durgin, Werner, Erika Kemp, Makena Morley, Jaci Smith, Fiona O’Keefe,  and Paige Stoner.

MEN’S OPEN DIVISION

The 2019 podium of Leonard Korir, Stephen Sambu, and Edward Cheserek return. Korir, an Olympian, became the first American man to win the Falmouth Road Race since 1988. He has 10 USATF national titles and holds the fastest-ever marathon debut by an American (2:077:56). 

Sambu looks to add an impressive fifth Falmouth Road Race title to his name. A road running star, Sambu set the 8K world record at the B.A.A. 10K, a race he has won twice. He is also a four-time champion of the Shamrock Shuffle. Edward Cheserek, the most decorated NCAA distance runner of all time with 17 NCAA Division I titles, ran for the University of Oregon. At Boston University in 2018, Cheserek ran the indoor mile in 3:49.44, which at that time was the second fastest indoor mile in history.  

Chasing the trio are 2018 Falmouth Road Race champion and 2018 NCAA 10,000m winner Ben Flanagan, of Canada, and Ben True, who holds five national titles, set a 5K national record at the 2017 B.A.A. 5K and recently finished fourth in the 10,000m at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Fresh from a two second 1-2 finish at the 2021 AJC Peachtree Road Race, Sam Chelanga, a six-time USATF National Champion, and Fred Huxham are in the field, as are B.A.A. 10K champion David Bett, 2018 Falmouth runner-up Scott Fauble and top 5,000m runner Emmanuel Bor. 

Many of the men running the ASICS Falmouth Road Race competed at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Track Trials including Korir, Chelanga, Bor, True, Biya Simbassa, Jacob Thomson and Frank Lara.

Daniel Mateiko and Evelyne Chirchir are the new winners of the second edition of Eldama Ravine Half Marathon held on 28/11/2020.Mateiko won 21km men in 63:01 followed closely by Ronald Kurui and Emmanuel Bor finished third in 63:23.

In women 21km category, Evelyne Chirchir won with a wider lead of almost a minute with time of 70:24 where Jackline Jepkemoi and Frankfurt Champion Valary Ayabei  came second and third consecutively in time of 71:27: and 71:46.

Norah Jeruto won 10 km women 33:53, Dorcas Kimeli second in 34:07 and Daisy Cheptemei third 35:23.  In 10 km men that was dominated by juniors Kenneth Renju closed 29:58 followed a distance by Weldon Kurui 30:16 and Michael Kibet wrapping top 3 with 30:20.

The race was ran with all athletes wearing a mask and only top 10 were allowed to remain after the race and the rest were released to go home.This was due to covid-19 government guidelines on combating the spread of virus.

Athletics Kenya (AK) have set aside Sh500,000 ($4672US) as prize money for the National Mountain Running Championships due Sunday in Naivasha.

AK Mountain Running coordinator, Peter Angwenyi, disclosed Tuesday that the prize money will be for the senior men 10km, senior women 8km and junior men's 8km races.

The winner in the men's race will pocket Sh 50,000, second-place athletes Sh25,000 and third-placed Sh20,000 in a prize fund that covers top 10 finishers.

The athlete winning the women's race will get Sh30,000, while second and third-placed athletes will go home with Sh24,000 and Sh19,000 respectively. All those finishing in top 10 vanguard will get cash awards.

Junior men winners will get Sh20,000 with those finishing second and third going home Sh15,000 and Sh 10,000 richer respectively.

The races that have attracted 300 athletes will start at Cornerstone Preparatory Academy on Mai Mahiu - Naivasha and end at Flyover.

The demanding course will consist of flat track and steep climbing of 930m and downhill of 330m.

Two-time world champion Lucy Murigi is among the athletes expected for the inaugural National Mountain Championships

Also expected in the women's 8km race is the inaugural 2020 Mount Kenya Mountain Running champion Purity Gitonga from Meru, Esther Waweru, who finished second at the Mount Kenya event, and Theresa Omosa from Kisii among others.

It was during the 2018 World Championships where Murigi, Gitonga, Viola Jelagat (silver) and Joyce Njeru teamed up to win the team title.

Geoffrey Gikoni, who has taken part in a series of mountain running circuits in Europe, is the favourite in the men's 10km race that will have the likes of Mount Kenya Mountain Running champion Emmanuel Bor and Dickson Simba.

Also heading to Longonot are Martin Magu and Denis Kemboi.

Interestingly, World Under-20 3,000m steeplechase silver medallist Leonard Bett has registered for the race.

Also UjENA Fit Club from Thika will field a team of ten.

Angwenyi said registration of the event will be done on Saturday at Kamunyaka Mini Supermarket in Longonot, Beryn Hotel in Naivasha, Run2gether Training Camp in Kiambogo and Kobil Petrol Station in flyover.

All the Covid-19 protocols will be maintained during the one day event.

Kenya’s Emmanuel Bor and Ethiopia’s Tesfaye Nigsti Haftu prevailed at the Corrida de Langueux, an IAAF Bronze Label road race which took place on Saturday (15).

The 29th edition of the event set off at a fierce pace in the men’s race. Peter Kiprotich of Kenya pushed hard from the gun, clocking an opening kilometer of 2:39, the equivalent of 26:30 10km pace.

Sure enough, the pace settled over the next few kilometers as Emmanuel Bor started to test his opponents. He managed to open a little gap over Morocco’s Mustafa El Aziz when he reached the second of five laps.

Bor hit the halfway point 10 seconds ahead of El Aziz in 13:52, suggesting a possible finish time inside 28 minutes and possibly even an improvement on the course record of 27:46 set by Ethiopia’s Atsedu Tsegay in 2011.

Although Bor’s pace dropped in the second half, he maintained his leading margin and went on to win in a PB of 27:53, the second-fastest time in the history of the race and 13 seconds better than his previous best.

“Thank you to the public,” said the 31-year-old. “It was the first time I’ve ran in Langueux and I really enjoyed it. It would have been great if I could have lowered the course record but I was too isolated in the closing stages.”

El Aziz, who had kept Bor under pressure during the second part, held on to finish runner-up in 28:03, 30 seconds shy of the PB he set three years ago.

Lawi Kosgei, one of the pre-race favourites following a 27:41 PB two months ago, rounded out the podium in 28:32. Florian Carvalho was the first Frenchman, finishing sixth in 29:00.

In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Tesfaye Nigsti Haftu and Tisge Abreha as well as Kenya’s Susan Jeptoo quickly separated themselves from the rest of the field. With about three kilometres remaining, Abreha struggled to follow the pace of her opponents.

Haftu, competing in Europe for the first time, made her move at about eight kilometres into the race and quickly pulled away as Jeptoo started to fade. Haftu captured her first victory in 32:00, 16 seconds ahead of Jeptoo, who secured her third consecutive podium finish. Abreha placed third in 32:21.

Roger Bannister was the first runner to run the mile in under four minutes. He ran 3:59.4 on May 6, 1954. Don Bowden (pictured) was the first American to go under four minutes. He ran 3:58.7 on June 1, 1957. According to the website LetsRun "Emmanuel Bor of the U.S. Army WCAP became the 500th American to break 4:00 in the mile, running a time (3:58.77) eerily similar to Bowden’s original mark on a bouncy, banked indoor oval at Boston University on Saturday."