http://www.runnersworld.com/high-school-racing/new-friends-new-country-new-national-title
New Friends, New Country, New National Title
Weini Kelati of Virginia wins the girls race at the Foot Locker Cross
Country Championships by less than one second.
ByPete Magill SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2015, 6:57 AM
Weini Kelati, of Heritage High School in Leesburg, Virginia, charged
straight to the lead in Saturday’s Foot Locker Girl’s Cross Country
National Championship, then fended off multiple challenges from
Maryjeanne Gilbert, a senior at Peoria Notre Dame High School in
Illinois to claim her first national title.
Under a cloudless sky in San Diego’s Balboa Park, with temperatures in
the mid-50s, Kelati used a final surge before the three-mile mark to
gap Gilbert, crossing the 5K finish line in 17:09.7. Gilbert followed
in second place at 17:10.6, with Nevada Mareno, of Leesville Road High
School in Raleigh, North Carolina, coming on strong to claim third in
17:17.6.
“Last year, I wasn’t in good shape,” said Kelati, explaining why she
repeated a front-running strategy that had seen her fade to 20th place
in the 2014 Foot Locker final. “The fast runners caught up to me after
the first mile, and then I couldn’t keep up with them. Today, I didn’t
care about that. I just wanted to stay strong. I ran to win.”
Kelati’s coach, Doug Gilbert, had a more succinct explanation. “Her
race plan is to always run from the front,” he said, laughing.
Kelati is technically a junior in high school, but at age 19, this is
her last year of high school eligibility. She immigrated to the United
States from Eritrea in the summer of 2014. That summer, she placed
eighth in the 3,000 meters at the world junior championships in
Eugene, Oregon. In the fall, she enrolled as a 17-year-old freshman at
Heritage.
After going undefeated through most of the 2014 cross country season,
Kelati faded slightly in the regional and national meets, capped by
her 20th place finish in San Diego. This year, she had no such
stumbles, winning races by an average of 57 seconds.
“She’s just a happy kid now,” Gilbert said. “She’s adjusted to all the
big changes she had in her life last year. Last year, it was new food,
new language, new culture, new coach, you name it. We had a hard time
even communicating through the cross-country season. This year, we’ve
been able to create the right training program for her, learn from our
mistakes, and get her to where she is now.”
After finishing third in the Midwest Regional, Maryjeanne Gilbert
wasn’t expected to compete for the podium. Even Gilbert herself didn’t
think she’d challenge for the win. “I was going to be happy to finish
top 10,” she said. “I don’t know that I ever thought I had a chance at
really winning it, but I never counted myself out, either.”
That plan went out the window when Gilbert reeled in Kelati at the top
of Upas Hill, an ascent just after the mile mark, and then continued
challenging for the lead until the final 200 meters. Asked about the
difference between today’s runner-up finish in the national
championship and her third-place finish in the regional, Gilbert said,
“I think today I really ran with a lot of confidence, more so than I
have in the past. This is the most confident and strong race I’ve run
in my career.”
For only the second time in Foot Locker Cross Country history, both
the boys and girls champions hailed from the same state, as fellow
Virginian Drew Hunter won the Boys race. In fact, Kelati and Hunter
live less than 20 minutes apart.
“I’m so proud of him,” Kelati said of Hunter. “He’s a really fast guy.
When I was little, when I saw fast runners, I wanted to be like them.
So that’s what it’s like with him.” For Kelati, Hunter is just one of
many new friends. “Last year, I was under stress. I was just looking
for friends. This year, I made good friends.”
On Saturday, Kelati also made good on predictions that she’d win her
first national championship. With no high school eligibility
remaining, her future plans are fluid. “We have lots of options,”
Gilbert said. “She’s got a bright future.” For now, Kelati can savor
yet another new experience: being the champ.
Received on Mon Dec 14 2015 - 22:12:03 EST