January 23, 2023

Kurgat, Bor win USA Cross Country Titles as Five Coloradans Earn Team USA Spots for World Championships

Kurgat, Bor, Rotich, Korir, Klingbeil to represent Team USA at World XC Championships in Australia

photos: Christian Gravius (RVAXCFestival)

Results

On Saturday (21-Jan) 32 athletes from Colorado competed in the USATF Cross Country Championships in Richmond, VA. 483 athletes from 29 states competed in the championships.

Six races were conducted - Open Men (10 km), Open Women (10 km), U20 Men (8 km), U20 Women (6 km), Masters Men 8 km, and Masters Women (6 km).

Athletes in the open and U20 races were competing for spots on Team USA for next month's World Athletics Championships in Bathurst, Australia. The top 6 in each race race were invited to represent the U.S. at the world championships.

Similar to last year's championships in San Diego, Coloradans won both the open races and also claimed a masters team title.

Five Coloradans qualified for the world championship team:
Open Men
   Emmanuel Bor (Colorado Springs)
   Anthony Rotich (Colorado Springs)
   Leonard Korir (Colorado Springs)

Open Women
   Ednah Kurgat (Colorado Springs)

U20 Women
   Eva Klingbeil (Longmont)

OPEN MEN - 10 km

In the men's race Emmanuel Bor Colorado Springs, CO / Unattached) took the lead just past the before the hallmark passing the 5 km mark in 14:23. A pack of 12 followed closely just two seconds back. The pursuit pack included his brother Hillary Bor (Colorado Springs / Hoka), Anthony Rotich (Colorado Springs / Nike & U.S. Army), Leonard Korir (Colorado Springs / Nike & U.S. Army), and Joseph Berriatua (Boulder / Timman Elite)

One kilometer later, (Emmanuel) Bor had a five second lead over the field, with a group of 10 packed up and moving around the next 2km loop. Bor continued to grow his lead over the next kilometer, passing through 7 km 11 seconds ahead of the chase, then 12 seconds ahead of the chase as he came through the 8 km split.

While Bor’s victory seemed nearly in hand, his lead started to slip. The chase pack cut the lead down to nine seconds with a kilometer to go, with a pack of eight working together to reel in Bor.

Bor would not relent, however, pushing the pace over the final half mile to make sure his lead was safe. As the finish line moved closer, Bor pumped his fists and raised his hands, savoring his first USATF title as he crossed the line victoriously in 28:44.

Behind Bor, it was a mad dash to the finish. With the finish in sight, Andrew Colley pulled away to finish second in 28:48. He was followed by Rotich (3rd; 28:49) and Korir (4th; 28:49).

Behind the chase pack, Hillary Bor claimed eighth in 28:57 with Benjamin Eidenschink (Longmont, Unattached), Berriatua, and Aaron Templeton (Boulder, Unattached) finishing 11th, 13th, and 15th, respectively.

OPEN WOMEN - 10 km

In the women's race Ednah Kurgat (Colorado Springs, CO / U.S. Army) hit the 5 km mark in 16:12 and was in a pack of six women. At 8 km the same six women were all within three seconds of each other with Kurgat at the head of the group and pushing the pace. One kilometer later Kurgat had a 12 second lead and was extending her lead. She ran alone to the finish stopping the clock at 32:07; 16 seconds in front of University of Colorado grad Makena Morley. Kurgat's last two kilometers were her fastest as she split 3:06 (9th km) and 3:03 (10th km). The win was her first U.S. title. Laura Thweatt (Superior, Saucony) and Carrie Verdon (Boulder, T.E.A.M. Boulder) claimed 9th and 10th, respectively.

U20 WOMEN - 6 km

In the U20 women's race Eva Klingbeil (Longmont / Univ. of North Carolina) faced an incredibly strong field that included many of the top finishers from last month's Nike and CHAMPS national high school championship events. By the halfway mark the eventual top six finishers, including Klingbeil, had separated themselves from the rest of the pack. With 1 km to go Klingbeil was in third and barring disaster had secured her Team USA spot. Disaster almost did strike as she fell with about 700m to go but she quickly got to her feet and held on for sixth place stopping the clock at 20:11. The race was won by Irene Riggs of West Virginia in 19:45.

IN THEIR WORDS - EVA KLINGBEIL

I found out about U20s after the cross country season ended, and I was happy to hear that I would get another opportunity to race cross country. The top runners confidently took the lead from the start, and I executed my race plan by placing myself right with them for the first 4 km. I was disappointed that I wasn't able to finish the race as strong as I wanted to after falling with a few minutes left to go. It's an honor to be representing Team USA and the state of Colorado at the World Championships!

MASTERS MEN - 8 km

In the masters competition, Gary Ostwald (Denver, Boulder Road Runners) won the men's 75-79 division running 38:05.

Neil McDonagh (Colorado Springs / Square State Striders) and Doug Bell (Greeley / Boulder Road Runners) each ran to second place finishes in their age divisions. McDonagh finished second in the 40-44 division running 25:46 over the 8 km course while Bell was second in the 70-74 division running 35:46. McDonagh had the eighth best age graded score (86.6%) out of the 175 men that compete.

Bell's performance led his Boulder Road Runners team to victory in the M70+ division. Behind Bell, Douglas Chesnut (Louisville) and Richard Katz (Boulder) finished fourth and nineth, respectively, in the 70-74 division. The team scored 10 points to defeate the Greater Philadelphia Track Club by six points.

MASTERS WOMEN - 6 km

In the women's competition Inge McClory (Boulder / Athletics Boulder) covered the 6 km course in 26:40 to finish fifth in the 55-59 division. Her age graded score of 82.7% was the 12th best among the 54 women that competed.