BOSTON – (October 8, 2012) – In her first year as a professional, emerging star and 4:29 miler Chelsea Reilly (Oakland, Calif.), in a surprise, won her first U.S. title at the 36th Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women on Monday.
Reilly, Hellen Jemutai of Kenya and Tara Erdmann (Los Angeles) broke away from the main pack with Jemutai, 34, running a solo race to the tape in 32 minutes, 30 seconds and Reilly, second overall, winning the national crown in 32:41 in her debut 10K, followed by Erdmann as national runner-up in 32:46 and Neely Spence (Lake Orion, Mich.) rounded out the U.S. podium in third (32:51). The top four U.S. women were 23 and younger.
Running in her first USA Running Circuit (USARC) event, Reilly, 23, bettered a field that included Olympians Magdalena Lewy Boulet and Jen Rhines along with multiple veteran athletes. The Bay Area Track Club athlete finished her eligibility at the University of California-Berkeley in the spring, where she finished 9th at the NCAA Championships in the 5000 meters.
The Tufts 10K also concluded the 2012 USARC, a USA Track & Field distance running series of national championships, and the women’s grand prix winner Janet Bawcom, with 57 points, earned $6000 and became the first repeat GP champion since Deena Kastor in 2008. Bawcom, a 2012 Olympian, won three USA titles (15K, 25K and 10 Mile) in 2012. Women’s USARC runner-up was two-time Olympian Kara Goucher (47 points, $4000) and third was 2012 Olympian Molly Huddle (39 points, $2500).
For the men, for the first time since 2001 as well as the closest USARC ever, there was a standings tie for the first place – Aaron Braun and Christo Landry (36 points, $5000 each). Third male overall was four-time Olympian Abdi Abdirahman (35 points, $2500). For more information, go to: www.USARunningCircuit.com
36th Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women: USA Women’s Championship
Boston, MA, Monday, October 8, 2012
1) Hellen Jemutai (KEN), 32:30, $4100
2) Chelsea Reilly (CA), 32:41, $10,250
3) Tara Erdmann (CA), 32:46, $6850
4) Neely Spence (MI), 32:51, $3550
5) Emma Kertesz (OH), 32:52, $3000
6) Jen Rhines (CA), 32:52, $2750
7) Stephanie Rothstein (AZ), 32:56, $2150
8) Mattie Suver (CO), 33:00, $1700
9) Annie Bersagel (CO), 33:05, $1500
10) Brianne Nelson (CO), 33:07, $1400
11) Katie McGregor (MN), 33:12, $1300
12) Kristen Fryburg-Zaitz (CO), 33:27
13) Delilah DiCrescenzo (NY), 33:36
14) Kellyn Johnson (AZ), 33:43
15) Mary Kate Champagne (NY), 33:50
MASTERS (40 and older)
1) Trina Painter, 47, NM, 34:42, $1000
2) Cassandra Henkiel, 42, TX, 36:04, $750
3) Michelle Lafleur, 40, GA, 36:55, $600