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Kelati Dominates the Open Women’s 10K Race

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By Clay Shaw
Photography by Clay Shaw and Karen Mitchell

January 20, 2024, Mechanicsville, VA, 2024 USATF National Cross Country Championships—Weini Kelati of Flagstaff, AZ set a new USA half marathon record of 1:06:25 in Houston, TX just six days prior to the Cross Country Championships.  Despite presumably tired legs from the half marathon and an illness in the days between the two events, she simply dominated the competition here winning the cross country 10K race by 37 seconds in 32:59.  Kelati ran with a large pack through the first two of the five two-kilometer loops in Pole Green Park before she broke away.  She became the first woman to win Foot Locker, NCAA, and USA cross country titles.

The top six athletes in both the women’s and men’s open races have qualified for a place on the USA team at World Cross Country in Belgrade, Serbia on March 30th.

Last year Kelati, who runs for Under Armour’s Dark Sky Distance Team, also qualified for World Cross Country – Australia.  Kelati was not 100% at the event and finished 21st overall.  She looks forward to a better performance this year at World Cross in Serbia. 

Emma Grace Hurley of Atlanta, GA was second in 33:36, moving up to pass Katie Camarena on the final lap.  Camarena was third in 33:41.  In the most exciting sprint of the day, Allie Ostrander of Seattle, WA dove across the finish line to edge Cailie Logue of Erie, Kansas to take fourth.  Both women were timed at 33:53.  Abby Nichols of Flagstaff, AZ, a HOKA NAZ Elite runner, was sixth in 34:10.

Waiting in the wings, if anyone decides not to go to Serbia:  Katrina Spratford-Sterling of Phoenix, AZ was seventh in 34:32, and last year’s World XC team member Katie Izzo of San Diego was eighth in 34:42.

49 open women finished the 10K, held at Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville, Virginia, just northeast of Richmond.  This year’s course featured a set of hay bales and two sets of logs to negotiate.  Unlike the mild weather of 2023, the 2024 meet temps were under the freezing mark with brisk winds for the entire day.

Full Results

Top Finishers

  1. 32:58 Weini Kelati, 27, Flagstaff, AZ
  2. 33:36 Emma Grace Hurley, 26, Atlanta, GA
  3. 33:41 Katie Camarena, 26,Boulder, CO
  4. 33:53 Allie Ostrander, 27, Seattle, WA
  5. 33:53 Cailie Logue, 25, Erie, KS
  6. 34:10 Abby Nichols, 26, Flagstaff, AZ
  7. 34:32 Katrina Spratford-Sterling, 33, Phoenix, AZ
  8. 34:42 Katie Izzo, 27, San Diego, CA
  9. 34:48 Kasandra Parker, 24, Rochester Hills, MI
  10. 35:00 Claire Green, 27, San Francisco, CA
  11. 35:15 Lydia Olivere, 23, Wilmington, DE
  12. 35:23 Maggie Donahue, 22, Wellesley, MA
  13. 35:25 Susanna Sullivan, 33, Reston, VA
  14. 35:47 Angelia Rafter, 24, Rochester Hills, MI
  15. 35:48 Madey Dickson, 27, Logan, UT
Weini Kelati of Flagstaff, AZ and the Under Armour Dark Sky Distance team earns the Open Women’s 10K win in 32:59.
Emma Grace Hurley of Atlanta finished second in 33:36.
Katie Camarena of Boulder easily clears the logs as she races ahead of Emma Grace Hurley of Atlanta and Katie Izzo of San Diego. Emma Grace finished 2nd overall and Katie Camarena finished 3rd.
Alaska Tough! Allie Ostrander #232 outduels Cailie Logue #233 for fourth place with a dive across the finish line. Both women were timed at 33:53 and both earned a team USA berth going to World XC in Belgrade, Serbia.
Weini Kelati #207 in blue runs with the lead pack early in the USATF National Cross Country Championships. Others in front are Katrina Spratford-Sterling #228, Katie Izzo, Claire Green, Emma Grace Hurley #250, Rosa Moriello, and Kasandra Parker #210.
The log jumps on second lap of five, featuring the leaders: Katrina Spratford-Sterling #228, Katie Izzo #248, Susanna Sullivan #227, Weini Kelati #207, Claire Green #215, Emma Grace Hurley #250, and Kasandra Parker #210.
Katrina Spratford-Sterling #228, Weini Kelati #207, Katie Camarena, and Emma Grace Hurley #250 are in front of the big lead pack early in the Open Women’s 10K.
Emma Grace Hurley #250 of Atlanta flies over the hay bales as she surges ahead of Katie Camarena #251 of Boulder, CO. Hurley was second and Camarena was third. Emily Jones #250 of the Marines team was 43rd.
Weini Kelati of Flagstaff, AZ glides though the chilly fields of Pole Green Park on her way to victory and her second USA XC team at World Cross.
Emma Grace Hurley of Atlanta works to earn second place overall and a spot on the USA XC team going to Belgrade, Serbia.
Katherine Ward #247 representing the Air Force takes flight over the log jumps. Also pictured are Jenna Lozzi #222, Maeve Roach #237, Alexandra Elliott #257, Emily Branch #219, and Rachel Burchill #231. Very cool to see the Armed Forces teams compete every year.
Cailie Logue #233 battles with Allie Ostrander #232, and Abby Nichols #211; all three would keep running fast to earn a spot on the USA XC team going to Serbia.
Katie Izzo of San Diego, CA was eighth in 34:42.
Emily Shertzer of the Air Force XC team is from Jonestown, PA. Shertzer, 44, was top master in the Open Women’s 10K. She finished 31st in 40:04.
Happy USA Open Women 10K top six, earning a spot on Team USA going to World Cross Country in Belgrade, Serbia on March 30. From left to right are: Abby Nichols, Katie Camarena, Emma Grace Hurley, Weini Kelati, Allie Ostrander and Cailie Logue.
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