Korir, Bor, Rojas run to top-5 finishes at USATF 15 km Championships in Florida

Colorado results scoreboard

Sixteen Coloradans competed in Saturday’s (5-Mar) USATF 15 km Championships in Jacksonville, Florida.  The championships were hosted by the Gate River Run. 

Leading the locals were Leonard Korir and Hillary Bor (HOKA ONE ONE / American Distance Project) both of Colorado Springs who finished second and third in the men's race and Nell Rojas (Boulder; Rise Athletics) who finished fifth in the women's race.

In the men's race Korir and Bor were among a pack of 18 that hit 5 km in 14:27 and maintained that pace through 10 km in 28:52.  At that point the two were still in the lead pack that was reduced to eight athletes.  With approximately 1 mile to go eventual race winner Nico Montanez of California took the lead and ran to victory stopping the clock at 43:10.  Korir and Bor trailed just four seconds as both clocked in at 43:14 (#57 U.S. all-time) with Korir getting the nod for second place.  Also claiming top 20 finishes were Parker Stinson (18th; 45:04; Broomfield, CO, Saucony), Haron Lagat (17th; 45:13; Colorado Springs, CO) and Ian Butler (20th, 45:21; Lakewood, CO; Tracksmith).

In the women's race, 2021 USATF Colorado Athlete of the Year Nell Rojas (Rise Athletics) of Boulder finished fifth running 49:58 (#52 U.S. all-time) with fellow Coloradans Bria Wetsch (Broomfield, CO) and Tayler Tuttle also nabbing top-10 finishes.  Wetsch finished ninth running 51:11 with Tuttle one place back in tenth running 51:26.  The women's race was won by 2020 Olympian Emily Sisson in a time of 47:28 (the #3 time ever by an American).

Click here to see the Colorado results scoreboard and complete championship results.

Race highlights and coverage of the USATF 15 km Championships, hosted by the Gate River Run, are available and can be viewed with a +PLUS subscription on USATF.TV.