Kenyan-born athletes celebrate memorable 10-kilometer victories in Virginia, leading American lineups into World Athletics Cross Country Championships in February in Australia; Ben Bruce, April Lund capture Masters titles

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

MECHANICSVILLE, Va. – Emmanuel Bor made a decisive move early Saturday in the men’s Open 10-kilometer race at the USATF Cross Country Championships.

Ednah Kurgat produced a significant surge late to pull away from the field in the women’s Open 10-kilometer final at Pole Green Park.

The result for the Kenyan-born athletes, both connected with the United States Army, was their first national titles and the opportunity to compete Feb. 18 at the 44th edition of the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia.

INTERVIEWS | RESULTS

Bor, who separated himself from the leaders at the 4-kilometer mark and stretched his lead to as much as 12 seconds, clocked 28 minutes, 43.3 seconds to secure his second career appearance at the global cross country final, along with 2019 in Aarhus, Denmark.

Kurgat, who began her collegiate career at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., after arriving in the U.S. in 2015 from Kenya, turned a one-second advantage at the 8-kilometer mark into a runaway victory in 32:06.5.

Kurgat, the 2017 NCAA Division 1 cross country champion at New Mexico, became a U.S. citizen in 2021 and was competing Saturday for All-Army Sports and representing the Army World Class Athlete Program.

She qualified for the U.S. roster along with former New Mexico teammate and 2019 NCAA Division 1 cross country champion Weini Kelati, who battled through injury to finish fifth in 32:38.7.

Makena Morley, a former Colorado All-American representing ASICS, placed second in 32:23.9.

Morley won the Bupa Great Edinburgh junior women’s race in 2015 in Scotland and secured her first opportunity Saturday to compete for the U.S. at the senior level.

The rest of the American women’s 10-kilometer Open roster will be represented by a trio of adidas athletes and Golden Coast Track Club members under coach Terrence Mahon.

Emily Durgin took third in 32:26.4, Emily Lipari was fourth in 32:31.7 and Katie Izzo secured sixth in 32:39.6, all earning their first career opportunities on a U.S. roster to compete at a global final.

Andrew Colley, representing On ZAP Endurance, closed the gap on Bor in the final kilometer, but couldn’t overcome the early deficit and placed second in 28:47.1.

Colley returns to the World Cross Country Championships for the first time since competing for the U.S. in 2015 in Guiyang, China.

Anthony Rotich, the 2020 U.S. champion in San Diego representing Nike and the U.S. Army, took third in 28:48.2.

Leonard Korir and Sam Chelanga, both World Cross Country Championships veterans, finished fourth and fifth, respectively, clocking 28:48.5 and 28:48.6 representing All-Army Sports and the Army World Class Athlete Program.

Dillon Maggard, who competed at the World Indoor Championships last year for the U.S. and finished ninth in the 3,000 meters, secured sixth Saturday in 28:48.7, surging past Reid Buchanan (28:49.0) in the final 25 meters to earn his first career World Cross Country Championships opportunity.

Four additional American athletes will have the chance to compete in the mixed 4x2-kilometer relay in Australia.

They will be joined by a pair of Masters competitors, who are scheduled to race Feb. 19 at the World Masters Athletics Short Course Cross Country Championships in Bathurst.

April Lund, 40, representing GYS Sports in North Dakota, prevailed in the women’s 6-kilometer final in 22:02.7.

Lund captured the gold medal in cross country in the women’s 35-39 division at the World Masters Athletics Championships in July in Finland, clocking 27:43 in the 8-kilometer final. She also won the 35-39 half marathon title in 79:51 in Tampere.

Ben Bruce, 40, competing for HOKA Northern Arizona Elite, triumphed in the men’s 8-kilometer championship race in 24:59.8.

Bruce was uncertain if he would pursue the opportunity to compete in Australia, which could make 41-year-old Neil McDonagh of Square State Striders in position to compete following a runner-up finish in 25:25.7.