Two weeks out from the Olympic Trials, it was another busy day Sunday on the pro circuit (track and road) for Flagstaff-based runners.
Here are the highlights:
— In a thrilling Portland Track Festival championship women’s 5,000 meters, Sifan Hassan had to work to beat Elise Cranny, who now trains in Colorado but is coached by NAU associate coach Jarred Cornfield. Cranny took the lead at the bell, but Hassan kicked her down to win in 14:43.85. Cranny (14:46.49) and Karissa Schweizer (14:48.60) achieved the Olympic standard of 14:52.
Flagstaff’s Rachel Smith placed sixth in 15:03.24, a big personal best in the event, but off of the Olympic standard. This was Smith’s first race since pulling up limping at the USATF road mile on April 23, and she figures to be a big factor in the event (as well as the 10,000 meters) at the trials. Dark Sky’s Regan Yee, an Olympic steeplechaser, moved up to race the 5K and finished eighth in 15:11.87.
— The Portland men’s 5,000 was contentious, as well, with many runners trying to get the 13:05 Olympic standard. NAZ Elite’s Wesley Kiptoo took the early lead, pushing the pace, joined by Dylan Jacobs. Jacobs took the lead at 3,400 meters and opened up a three-meter lead. The chase pack, in the form of Gulveer Singh of India, caught them. Jacobs reclaimed the lead and the win, Singh second and Kiptoo third. Kiptoo ran 13:21.77, eight seconds off his personal best.
Dark Sky’s Ben Veatch ran a big PR to finish fifth in 13:22.68. Other Flagstaff-based finishers: NAZ Elite’s Futsum Zienasellasie in 11th in 13:30.65 and former NAU runner Theo Quax14th in 13:33.91.
— In Portland’s championship 1,500 men’s championship race, Dark Sky’s Kasey Knevelbaard in 12th in 3:37.47, just shy of his PR.
— Dark Sky’s Vince Ciattei finished fourth in an uber-competitive 1,500 at the New York Grand Prix earlier Sunday. Ciattei finished fourth in a season-best 3:34.62 in a race won by Great Britain Jake Wightman in 3:34:01. Teammate Lalo Herrera placed sixth in 3:25.29, breaking his own Mexican national record.
Ciattei was second to Eric Holt at the 1,100-meter mark and ran the final 400 meters in 53.36. Holt finished second in 3:34.05 and Hobbs Kessler was third in 3:34.41. Flagstaff’s Abdi Nur, going down in distance to get in some speedwork, finished 10th in 3:38.49.
— Earlier at the Portland festival, Dark Sky’s Angelina Ellis pulled off a big win in her heat of the 1,500 with a personal-best time of 4:08.59. Elly Henes, trained by Mike Smith, finished seventh in 4:09.68. McKirdy Trained’s Angie Nickerson placed fifth in the “High Performance” 5,000 in 16:26, with NAU’s Ruby Smee seventh in 16:36.41 and teammate Alexis Kebbe 10th in 16:59.95.. For the men, Dark Sky’s Matthew Wilkinson placed 10th in 3:37.72. NAU’s Kang Nyoak finished 32nd in the “High Performance” 1,500 at 3:42.78, with Dark Sky’s Diego Zarate 56th in 3:48.62.
Brodey Hasty, two days after competing in the NCAA 5K final down in Eugene for NAU, ran in an early heat of the 5,000 and finished seventh in 13:44.85. Nyoak doubled back and placed 15th in the race at 14:05.86.
— At Sunday morning’s Chicago 13.1, Dark Sky’s Jacob Thomson finished sixth in 1:04:16, NAZ Elite’s Nick Hauger seventh in 1:04:40 and Dark Sky’s Matt Llano 12th in 1:05:20.
It was Hauger’s first race after he had to pull out of his spring marathon, Boston, with an injury. (Hauger’s wife, Brit Calli Hauger-Thackery, won the bronze in the European Championships half marathon on Sunday). Llano was racing for the first time since the Olympic Marathon Trials.
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