Weini Kelati races to dominant victory at the USATF Cross Country Championships

Weini Kelati has just added another piece of metal to her already large collection with a victory at the USATF Cross Country Championships on Saturday, January 20. Racing in Pole Green Park in Richmond, Virginia, the 27-year-old clinched a gold in the 10k.

The race started with Kelatai keeping pace with the pack up until the 4 km mark, before surging ahead to open up a clear gap between her and the field. The American finished the race with a time of 32:58.6, putting her 37.3 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Emma Hurley. Joining the two on the podium was Katie Camarena.

This remarkable performance marks the biggest margin between the gold and silver medalists in a 10k race since 2017 when Aliphine Tuliamuk finished 48.2 seconds ahead of her competition.

For Weini Kelati, this victory comes just days after she set an American record in the half marathon in Houston, proving her prowess as an athlete. Her top-of-the-podium finish also qualifies her for a spot at the World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, Serbia come March.

Meanwhile, in the men's event, it was Cooper Teare who clinched gold, as Anthony Rotich came in second, and Ahmed Muhumed settled for third.

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Weini Kelati’s journey as a track and field athlete

Born in Eritrea, Weini Kelati claimed asylum in the United States in 2014 and made waves on the high school track and field scene upon her arrival to the country.

Next, she went on to compete for the New Mexico Lobos for her collegiate career, where she won the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in 2019. That same, she was crowned champion of the 10,000m at the 2019 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

Weini Kelati gave up her remaining collegiate eligibility to turn pro in 2020. The very next year she claimed the win at the USATF 5K Road Championships, with a course record time of 15:18. She defended her title at the competition in 2022, further lowering the course record.

In January of 2023, Kelati qualified for the 44th World Athletics Cross Country Championships, where she finished 21st after dealing with hip pain and a miscounted lap. In September of the same year, she won the USATF 10k Championships, before claiming fifth place in the 5k at the 2023 World Athletics Road Running Championships.