Top Distance Talent Ready to Race at the USATF 20 km Championships

USATF Release

NEW HAVEN, Connecticut – Talented fields headlined by Jordan Hasay, USATF Running Circuit standings leaders Emily Durgin and Clayton Young, and Olympians Leonard Korir and Jared Ward kick-off Labor Day morning in grand fashion as the USATF 20 km Championships presented by Toyota take place. 

The USATF 20 km Championships, hosted by Faxon Law New Haven Road Race, are the fifth stop on the 2021 USATF Running Circuit presented by Toyota. 

As the gun sounds Monday morning, Durgin will have all eyes on her, as she looks to continue to build on her magical 2021 campaign. Durgin placed third at the USATF 15 km Championships, second at the USATF 10 km Championships, and second at the USATF Women’s 6 km Championships. In addition, she took home a ninth place finish in the 10,000m at the Olympic Trials

Durgin’s total of 34 points in the USATF Running Circuit standings puts her 18 points ahead of second place Lindsay Flanagan, who is also entered. Flanagan beat Durgin by 15 seconds at the USATF 15 km Championships back in March. That result, along with a seventh place finish at the USATF Women’s 6 km Championships, have Flanagan primed for a big performance in New Haven, as she readies to compete at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon.

The other big name at the top of the entries is Jordan Hasay. Hasay, who is training to compete at the Boston Marathon this fall, won the USATF 20 km Championship title in 2017. Hasay has had a quiet 2021, but is healthy and training well heading into Monday’s race.

Makena Morley and Erika Kemp, two USATF Running Circuit veterans, are also entered and ready to race. Morley placed fourth behind Emily Sisson, Flanagan, and Durgin at the USATF 15 km Championships, 11 seconds behind Durgin. Kemp placed fifth in that race, showing both are in fine racing form.

Makenna Myler looks to showcase her recent success on the roads, too. Myler placed 14th in the 10,000m at the Olympic Trials. Myler won the Deseret News Half Marathon in Utah in late-July, crossing the finish in 1:09:54, the fourth fastest time run by an American this year, behind only Olympic medalist Molly Seidel, Sarah Pagano, and Durgin.

Rounding out the top entries, USATF Running Circuit veteran Bethany Sachtleben, who placed eighth at the USATF 20 km Championships in 2018 is set to compete, as is Minnesota Distance Elite’s Dakota Lindwurn and veteran Aisling Cuffe.

In the men’s race, three-time USATF 20 km champion Korir enters as one of the strong pre-race favorites. Korir clearly has experience across the New Haven course, while entering Monday’s competition coming off a 15th place finish at the Olympic Trials in the 10,000m.

Korir will be challenged by Emmanuel Bor, Clayton Young, Ben True, and Abbabiya Simbassa up front. Bor enters the race with two top ten finishes at the Olympic Trials earlier this summer. Bor placed tenth in the 10,000m, while placing fifth in the 5000m.

Young, who won the USATF 15 km Championships earlier this season, his first USATF title, is having an incredibly strong season. He currently leads the USATF Running Circuit with 28 points, having also placed third at the USATF 10 km Championships, currently sitting 13 points ahead of second place runners Eric Avila and Sam Chelanga.

Fourth place in the USATF Running Circuit with 12 points is Simbassa. Simbassa placed second at the USATF 15 km Championships behind Young, while earning a seventh place finish in the 10,000m at the Olympic Trials. He’s joined by veteran Ben True, who ran an exceptional race in Eugene at the Olympic Trials, earning a fourth place finish in the 10,000m.

Reid Buchanan is another top contender coming off an impressive showing at the Olympic Trials. Buchanan, who is training to compete at the Boston Marathon later this fall, placed ninth in the 10,000m at the Olympic Trials. 

Two other top contenders are Lawi Lalang and Jared Ward. Ward won the USATF 20 km Championships in 2015, while placing 11th at the USATF 10 km Championships earlier this season. Lalang placed 11th at the Olympic Trials in the 5000m, showing he’s in fine form as he hits the streets of New Haven Monday morning.

Finishing the list of top challengers, BAA’s Matt McDonald is using Monday’s race as a tune-up to the Boston Marathon. 2018 runner-up Haron Lagat, 2019 runner-up Nathan Martin, Olympic Trials 10,000m finalist Jacob Thomson, and veterans Nicolas Montanez and Matthew Llano also are top ten contenders on Monday.

On demand race videos, results, and post-race interviews will be available shortly after the race in cooperation with RunnerSpace.com. Join the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag #USARC.

About the USATF Running Circuit

The USATF Running Circuit is a USATF road series featuring USATF championships from one mile through the marathon and consistently attracts the best American distance runners with more than $500,000 to be awarded in total prize money. A total of $38,000 in prize money will be awarded at the USATF 20 km Championships.

The first ten U.S. runners earn points at each USATF Running Circuit race. For the USATF 20 km Championships, scoring is set as 15 for first, 12 for second, 10 for third, 7 ,6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1, with those earning the most points receiving prize money at the end of the series.

The mission of the USATF Running Circuit is to showcase, support and promote U.S. runners. Since its inception in 1995, the USATF Running Circuit and its races have provided over $7 million to U.S. distance runners.

Contributed by Scott Bush