Stanford freshman Lane follows USATF U20 title with victory in El Salvador

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Further illustrating the depth of American men in distance running, Joseph Gray and Augustus Maiyo, who placed 11th and 12th in the men's 10-kilometer final Feb. 3 at the USATF Cross Country Championships, took the top two spots in the senior men's race Saturday at the NACAC Championships in La Libertad, El Salvador.

Gray clocked 30 minutes, 2 seconds and Maiyo ran 30:05 on the 10-kilometer course for the U.S., which had five of the top seven finishers. Abbabiya Simbassa (30:09) was fourth, Robert Cheseret (30:35) placed fifth and Aaron Nelson (31:09) took seventh for the Americans.

Stanford freshman Connor Lane followed his U20 victory in Tallahassee, Fla., by capturing the 8-kilometer championship in 25:06. Lane follows Cardinal teammate Sean McGorty, who won the NACAC U20 title in 2014 in Trinidad and Tobago.

Canada took the next three spots, with Tyler Pozzi (25:19), Thomas Nobbs (25:23) and Andrew Alexander (25:32).

Michael Vernau, Lane's freshman teammate at Stanford, was the next American in eighth in 25:37, with Washington freshman Tibs Proctor placing 12th in 26:13 and Loomis Chaffee CT sophomore Matt Farrell finishing 13th in 26:18.

Susan Tanui was the top American in the women's 10-kilometer race, placing fourth in 35:22. Ecuador's Carmen Aleila Toaquiza prevailed in 35:04, with the Peruvian duo of Gladys Machacuay Huaman (35:06) and Luz Mery Rojas Llanco (35:07) taking second and third.

Emily Durgin tied for sixth in 35:34, with Katrina Spratford 10th in 36:13 for the U.S. women.

Brogan MacDougall led a Canadian sweep in the women's U20 6-kilometer race, clocking 20:36. Laura Dickinson (20:54) and Martha MacDonald (21:02) captured silver and bronze.

Northern Illinois freshman Ashley Tutt, who won the USATF title in Florida, placed sixth in 21:20. Duke teammates Amanda Beach (21:38) and Michaela Reinhart (22:11) placed eighth and 12th for the Americans.