By Clay Shaw and Karen Mitchell

Canton, Ohio, June 4, 2022, USATF Women’s 6K Championships—Keira D’Amato of Midlothian, VA used her marathon skills and strategy to win the USATF Women’s 6K Championship in Canton, Ohio.   With a downhill course starting at Malone College, Paige Stoner and Grayson Murphy took the early lead.  USA marathon record-holder Keira D’Amato and USA Olympian Aliphine Tuliamuk soon reeled them in.  D’Amato said afterwards, “This field is terrifying to line up against.  I got really impatient knowing I couldn’t outkick most of these women.  I tried to take it hard in the middle to drop them, so that was the plan.”

The course turns and flattens out near the Palace Theatre and D’Amato had a strong lead over fellow distance ace Aliphine Tuliamuk, and Annie Rodenfels of Roslindale, MA.  The course makes an incomplete loop in Downtown Canton to finish at Centennial Plaza.  Rodenfels is a BAA runner and Wellesley College coach, who won the 2022 BAA Mile on Saturday of the Boston Marathon weekend in April.  Rodenfels caught D’Amato with two blocks to go, but D’Amato dug in for a final surge to win in 17:52.  Rodenfels was second in 17:54. 

Asked later about Annie Rodenfels, Keira said, “I was worried about her, because I’ve seen her finishes; they’re really strong.  Coming around the last turn, I heard her coming and she got really close to me.  That got me into high gear.”

Tuliamuk was third in 18:08.  Grayson Murphy of Salt Lake City, Utah was fourth in 18:31. Paige Stoner of Charlottesville, VA was fifth in 18:34.

The USATF Women’s 6K will return to its mid-July date in 2023.  It was moved up a month this year to avoid a conflict with the World Athletics Championships in Eugene in July. Race Director Tina Oprean Ryee and Executive Director Jim Chaney are already working on the 3rd annual event.

Canton, Ohio, well known for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is an attractive and vibrant small city with great restaurants and weekend events. This year, the restaurants and bars were full of locals and visitors the evening before the race. A musical act billed as country music (really an interesting and fun mix of musical types) took place at Centennial Plaza Friday night. Saturday night there was a blues festival with several stages open.

Behind the elite field is the open race. So watch for registration to open and come and join the fun!!

Results

1. 17:52 Keira D’Amato, 38, Midlothian, VA
2. 17:54 Annie Rodenfels, 25, Roslindale, MA
3. 18:08 Aliphine Tuliamuk, 33, Flagstaff, AZ
4. 18:31 Grayson Murphy, 26, Salt Lake City, UT
5. 18:34 Paige Stoner, 26, Charlottesville, VA
6. 18:38 Sarah Pagano, 30, San Diego, CA
7. 18:48 Rachel Smith, 30, Flagstaff, AZ
8. 18:53 Katie Izzo, 25, Boston, MA
9. 19:10 Elaina Tabb, 30, Boston, MA
10. 19:13 Andrea Pomaranski, 39, Wolverine Lake, MI
11. 19:28 Tristan Van Ord, 27, Blowing Rock, NC
12. 19:54 Abbey Wheeler, 23, Boston, MA
13. 20:04 Audrey Belf, 25, Arlington, VA
14. 20:31 Sydney Leiher, 27, Washington, DC
15. 20:31 Hannah Thompson, 25, Findlay, OH
16. 20:44 Molly Callahan, 29, Superior, CO
17. 20:46 Kristina King, 30, Chicago, IL
18. 21:29 Dianne Fisher, 37, Rocky River, OH

Categories: Race Coverage

Tags: 2022, featured, Keira D'Amato, USATF