USATF 7 Mile Championships – News

Veteran Fields Ready to Shine in Iowa at the USATF 7 Mile Championships

USATF Release

DAVENPORT, Iowa – USATF Running Circuit standings leaders Nell Rojas and Leonard Korir seek to extend their overall lead on Saturday at the USATF 7 Mile Championships, while USATF Women’s 6 km Championship and USATF Men’s 8 km Championship winners Ednah Kurgat and Clayton Young seek to build on the momentum gained with their victories two weeks ago in Davenport, Iowa.

The USATF 7 Mile Championships, hosted by the Quad Cities Times Bix 7, are the ninth stop on the 2023 USATF Running Circuit. 

Two weeks ago, Kurgat won the USATF Women’s 6km Championship title by two seconds over Rojas, building on the fitness she showed at the USATF Outdoor Championships two weeks prior where she placed well in both the 5000m and 10,000m events. Kurgat, having already won the 6 km and USATF Cross Country titles this season, seeks her third USATF Running Circuit title of the year. 

At the moment, Rojas sits 10 points ahead of Kurgat, 40-30, in the USATF Running Circuit standings. The road running veteran has yet to win a USATF Running Circuit event in 2023, but she owns three top three finishes on the year. The longer the race the better for Rojas, which could give her the edge in Davenport over Kurgat.

Teammates Aliphine Tuliamuk and Kellyn Taylor are also entered, using Saturday’s race as a way to gage their fitness heading into the fall marathon season. Tuliamuk, 34, has raced sparingly this year. She won the USATF Half Marathon Championships back in late-February in 1:09:37. She followed that up with an 11th place finish at the Boston Marathon in mid-April. Not to be overlooked, Tuliamuk also won the last USATF 7 Mile Championship title, which took place in 2017, beating the field by over a minute.

Taylor, 37, has raced only twice this season, as well. She placed ninth in the 5000m at the Portland Track Festival in early June, following that up a week later with a eighth place showing at the Mastercard New York Mini 10K. Both Tuliamuk and Taylor, both eyeing a chance to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in February at the USATF Olympic Trials – Marathon, are poised to challenge for top five in Davenport.

Jessa Hanson, who currently sits in a tie for third with Emma Hurley in the USATF Running Circuit standings with 29 points, is also entered. The Puma sponsored pro has placed third at both the USATF 15 km and 25 km Championships and seeks another top three finish on…