Kurgat Runs to Victory at the USATF Women’s 6 km Championship

USATF Release

CANTON, Ohio – A field of front runners made for an exciting morning of racing on Saturday, as Ednah Kurgat earned her second USATF Running Circuit title of the season with a thrilling finish at the USATF Women’s 6 km Championship in Canton, Ohio.

Race highlights and coverage of the USATF Women’s 6 km Championship, hosted by the Women’s 6K Festival and the seventh stop on the USATF Running Circuit presented, are available and can be viewed with a +PLUS subscription on USATF.TV. 

Coming off the USATF Outdoor Championships a week ago, a number of top competitors in Saturday’s contest were in prime shape to challenge for victory in Canton. As the horn sounded starting the race, the field quickly came together as the top contenders packed together in the early stages of the race.

As the field came through the half way point of the 6 km race, Kurgat, Nell Rojas, Annie Rodenfels, Emma Hurley, Tristin Van Ord, and Emily Lipari packed together and started to break from the field.

With a mile to go, Kurgat, Rojas, and Rodenfels put a gap on the rest of the lead pack, quickly extending their lead to a couple seconds as the drive to the finish began. 

While all three women seemed as though they could break away at any moment and sprint to victory, it was ultimately Kurgat who put in a surge that both Rojas and Rodenfels couldn’t match, crossing the finish in celebration in 18:31. Kurgat’s victory was her second of the USATF Running Circuit season, after winning the USATF Cross Country Championship title earlier this year.

Behind Kurgat, Rojas was able to hold off Rodenfels for second, her second runner-up finish of the USATF Running Circuit season, while crossing the line in 18:33. Rodenfels earned her second consecutive top three finish at the USATF Women’s 6 km Championship, finishing a second behind Rojas for third in 18:34.

Hurley continued her strong season of success by finishing fourth in 18:36. She now holds second, third, and fourth place finishes on this year’s USATF Running Circuit. ZAP Fitness standout Van Ord claimed fifth in 18:39, while Lipari took home sixth place in 18:41.

Coming in seventh was Anne-Marie Blaney, running much of the final mile by herself, crossing the line in 18:54. Kassie Parker, who finished top 10 in the 10,000m at the USATF Outdoor Championships just over a week ago, placed eighth overall in 19:07, while USATF Running Circuit veterans Olivia Pratt and Molly Grabill rounded out the scoring in ninth and tenth in 19:09 and 19:11.

With her runner-up effort earning her another 12 points in the overall standings of the USATF Running Circuit, Rojas now sits in first in the standings with 40 points. Kurgat’s victory moves her up from a tie for fourth into sole position of second with 30 points, while Hurley’s fourth place effort in Canton earns her another 7 points, giving her 29 total points, which places her in a third place tie at the moment with Jessa Hanson.

The next stop on the USATF Running Circuit are the USATF 7 Mile Championships, which take place on July 29 in Davenport, Iowa, hosted by the Quad-City Times Bix 7.

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 $20,000 in prize money will be awarded at the USATF Women’s 6 km Championship.

The first ten U.S. runners earn points at each USATF Running Circuit race. For the USATF Women’s 6 km Championship, 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