Weini Kelati on her way to the US cross country title (© Kevin Morris)
Weini Kelati and Cooper Teare claimed top spots at the USATF Cross Country Championships in Pole Green Park in Richmond, Virginia, where World Athletics Cross Country Championships team places were up for grabs.
Clocking 32:58.6 for the 10km women’s race on Saturday (20), Kelati was a dominant winner as she finished 37 seconds ahead of runner-up Emma Hurley.
That winning performance comes just six days after Kelati ran 1:06:25 to improve the North American record on her half marathon debut in Houston.
The top six finishers in both the senior women’s and men’s races are in line for US team places for the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Belgrade 24 on 30 March, should they choose to accept them.
Kelati finished 21st at last year’s World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst after placing fifth at the national event.
Following Kelati and Hurley over the finish line on Saturday was Katie Camarena, while Allie Ostrander finished just ahead of Cailie Logue to secure fourth place, and Abby Nichols was sixth.
While Kelati made her move in the first half of the race, Teare waited until the final kilometre to kick in the men’s 10km contest and the 2022 US 1500m champion went on to triumph in 29:06.2, finishing five seconds ahead of Anthony Rotich, the 2020 champion.
Ahmed Muhumed was third and Olympic triathlete Morgan Pearson was fourth after having earlier pushed the pace along with Teare.
Defending champion Emmanuel Bor, who went on to place 32nd at the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, this time finished fifth and Christian Allen was sixth.
Zariel Macchia won the 6km U20 women’s race in 20:31.0 and Kevin Sanchez claimed the title in the 8km U20 men’s race in 24:07.1.
