Hunter, Kelati Win in Thrilling Fashion at the USATF 5 km Championships

USATF Release

NEW YORK, New York – On a cool, sunny morning in New York City, Andrew Hunter and Weini Kelati ran two very different races, but the end result proved the same as the two athletes were victorious at the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5k featuring USATF 5km Championships presented by Toyota.

On demand race viewing and coverage of the USATF 5 km Championships are available and can be viewed with a +PLUS subscription on USATF.TV.

Two-time Olympic medalist Paul Chelimo pushed the pace early in the men’s race, stringing the field out in the first half mile. While Chelimo then settled into a rhythm and the field caught up, it set a tone for how the rest of the race would go. 

Past the first mile the lead group of more than 12 men came and went, with Sydney Gidabuday and Abbabiya Simbassa leading the charge. The duo would, along with Chelimo, would take turns leading the race for the next mile, with Chelimo eventually dropping back.

With a mile to go, the pace shifted, with Gidabuday continuing the lead, as Simbassa moved back in the pack. Eric Avila and Hunter moved up in the pack, sitting near the front, while the rest of the top contenders started to position themselves for what was to be a wild and extremely close finish. 

As the lead men hit the final half mile of the race, 2016 Olympic gold medalist Matthew Centrowitz shot to the lead and started his drive to the finish. The Bowerman Track Club star got a half step on the field and continued his drive, with only Hunter and Gidabuday able to match pace. 

With 100 meters left, Hunter jumped to the lead, driving his arms, increasing his stride, and put a small gap on Centrowitz and Gidabuday, a lead he would not relinquish, as he crossed the finish line pumping his fists in victory. Hunter finished in 13:53.

While Hunter strode to victory, it seemed as though Gidabuday would pull away from Centrowitz with 50 meters to go, but Centrowitz had one more gear, as he slipped ahead of his rival, both athletes crossing the line a step behind Hunter in second and third, both in 13:53.

Middle distance standouts Graham Crawford and Avila couldn’t match the speed up front for top three, but the duo showed enough strength to outmatch the rest of the field. Crawford got the edge on Avila in the closing meters, crossing the line in fourth in 13:54, while reigning USATF 1 Mile Road champion Avila earned fifth overall in 13:55.

Just behind Avila, Hunter’s Tinman Elite teammate Brian Barraza claimed sixth place overall in 13:56, a step ahead of Andrew Jordan and Joe Berriatua, who finished seventh and eighth overall with the same 13:56 finishing time. Simbassa settled for ninth place in 13:58, while Kasey Knevelbaard rounded out the top ten with a finish time of 14:00.

Simbassa’s ninth place finish boots his USATF Running Circuit overall standings lead, with 77 total points, 40 ahead of second place Clayton Young and 45 points ahead of third place runners Sam Chelanga and Fred Huxham.

While the men’s race was decided in the final meters of the race, Kelati had her own plans on the women’s side, jumping to the lead from the gun, pushing the pace early, and never looking back.

By the first mile mark, Kelati had a lead of more than ten seconds, with the rest of the field packing up behind her, content to let Kelati run her own race. The chase pack would be led by USATF Running Circuit standings leader Erika Kemp, who entered Saturday’s race coming off a runner-up effort at the USATF 25 km Championships, along with Grace Barnett of the Mammoth Track Club.

Kelati continued to grow her lead in the second mile, running alone along the streets of New York City, the sun shining behind her, as she pressed the pace, seemingly making a statement that she’s ready to be one of America’s best distance runners.

Kelati grew her lead to more than 20 seconds by the end of the second mile and with her competition out of sight, her eyes started to shift towards the finish line and winning her first USATF title.

The former NCAA champion pressed towards the finish, striding confidently over the final half mile of the race. With the finish upon her, Kelati waved to fans lining the street, raising her hands in victorious fashion, as she crossed the line in 15:18, setting a new event record.

Behind Kelati, U.S. Olympic Team Trials 1500m finalist Grace Barnett continued her strong season with a runner-up finish, pulling away from the chase pack in the final portions of the race, crossing the line in 15:45. Kemp finished just behind in third, stopping the close in 15:48. 

With her third place showing, Kemp added 10 points to her USATF Running Circuit standings total, moving her into first place with 56.5 points, jumping ahead of Emily Durgin (49 points) and Makena Morley (47.5). With only one race left on the 2021 USATF Running Circuit, Kemp has positioned herself well to win the overall title.

Natosha Rogers and Lauren Paquette battled each other to the finish, with Rogers inching ahead at the line to place fourth overall in 15:48, while Paquette placed fifth in 15:49.

2016 Olympic triathlon gold medalist Gwen Jorgensen earned herself a sixth place finish overall in 15:50, just ahead of Amy Davis, who claimed seventh in 15:51. 2012 Olympian Kim Conley claimed eighth in 15:53, while Sammy George and Maggie Montoya ran tough over the final stages of the race to claim ninth and tenth respectively, in 15:53 and 15:55.

The ninth and final stop on the 2021 USATF Running Circuit is the USATF Half Marathon Championships presented by Toyota, which take place December 5 in Hardeeville, South Carolina, hosted by the  Mortgage Network Half Marathon.

About the USATF Running Circuit

The USATF Running Circuit is a USATF road series featuring USATF championships from one mile through the marathon and consistently attracts the best American distance runners with more than $500,000 to be awarded in total prize money. A total of $60,000 in prize money will be awarded at the USATF 5 km Championships.

The first ten U.S. runners earn points at each USATF Running Circuit race. For the USATF 5 km Championships, scoring is set as 15 for first, 12 for second, 10 for third, 7 ,6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1, with those earning the most points receiving prize money at the end of the series.

The mission of the USATF Running Circuit is to showcase, support and promote U.S. runners. Since its inception in 1995, the USATF Running Circuit and its races have provided over $7 million to U.S. distance runners.

Contributed by Scott Bush