EUGENE, OREGON, May 27 — It helps to have been there before. Both Karissa Schweizer and Alicia Monson have, with 2nd- and 3rd-place finishes in last summer’s Olympic Trials 25-lapper. They showed it here with a breakaway 1–2 finish that ensures they will meet again on the same track for the Worlds in just under 2 months’ time.
With OT winner Emily Sisson focusing on the roads for ’22 and U.S. No. 2 all-time Elise Cranny a last-minute withdrawal — “I haven’t been feeling like myself in training… I just don’t feel ready to compete right now” — 10 of the 20 women who started had the Worlds Q standard of 31:25.00, leaving it up to the field’s other half to press for a quick, rather than tactical, pace if anyone was game.
After Weini Kelati, the USATF XC runnerup to Monson in January, took an initial early spin at the front, ’17 UConn grad Emily Durgin went up front in earnest just before the kilo and passed it in 3:11.83, just under 32:00 speed. The field strung out behind.
For laps 4–6 (73.95, 73.11, 74.60) Durgin’s push looked promising but six ensuing 76- and 77-point circuits for a 5K split of 15:50.43 set up Monson and Schweizer, always close, for a rush for home further down the track.
Marathoner Stephanie Bruce took the lead briefly on lap 14 (75.28). Then on the next backstretch long-striding Monson, the World Indoor 3000 7th-placer, laid down a long attack, as is her wont. Only Schweizer responded and their gap on the rest soon was a chasm.
Dathan Ritzenhein-coached On AC runner Monson essayed 10 laps of 74.79, 71.62, 72.48, 72.89, 71.95, 72.59, 72.31, 72.33, 72.33 and 68.23 to the bell, determined to out-strength Schweizer, whose eyes had been serenely pegged to Monson’s back through the drive. To no avail.
Bowerman TC stalwart Schweizer, striding efficiently, kicked from 200 out to a 30:49.56–30:51.09 win, a 1.53 margin on Monson similar to her edge over the Wisconsin alum at the Trials (2.03) and Games (1.40 as the two placed 12th and 13th in Tokyo). The last lap went in 64.14, with Schweizer’s split likely a 10th or 2 faster.
’15 World Champs bronze medalist Emily Infeld, running just her second 10,000 since ’17 — and hip surgery in late ’19 — kicked ferociously for the third team spot but had to give way on the final straight as Natosha Rogers edged her 31.29.80–31:30.04.
Rogers, with a PR of 31:16.89 set in March, has the Q standard and at 31 made a U.S. team in a track race for the first time.
Said Schweizer, whose one prior race this spring following Achilles surgery in October was a 15:02.77 win over 5000 at the Mt. SAC Relays, “I’ve just been really working on my strength this year and especially just on my finishing kick, and I had a lot of confidence going into the race so I just stayed very relaxed.
“Normally I don’t wait that long to take the lead but it was kind of like a new tactic I was trying and I was really excited how it played out.”
USATF WOMEN’S 10,000 RESULTS
1. Karissa Schweizer (NikBowTC) 30:49.56 (x, 9 A)
2. Alicia Monson (OnAC) 30:51.09 PR (7, x A)
3. Natosha Rogers (HansB) 31:29.80
4. Emily Infeld (Nik) 31:30.04
5. Weini Kelati (UArmDS) 31:39.90
6. Sarah Lancaster (Paras360) 31:43.08
7. Stephanie Bruce (HokaNnAz) 31:44.35
8. Emily Lipari (adiGCTC) 31:46.32
9. Carrie Verdon (TmBou) 31:46.75
10. Molly Grabill (RISE) 31:49.01 PR
11. Emily Durgin (adi) 31:55.03
12. Paige Stoner (ReebB) 31:55.12
13. Caroline Sang (USAr) 31:55.61 PR
14. Marielle Hall (Nik) 31:58.88
15. Makena Morley (Asics) 31:59.44
16. Ednah Kurgat (USAr) 32:01.67
17. Susanna Sullivan (unat) 32:12.77
18. Jeralyn Poe (unat) 32:15.60
19. Maddie Alm (unat) 32:22.51
20. Olivia Pratt (HansB) 32:29.10
(Leader kilos: Durgin 3:11.83, 3:04.01 [6:15.84], 3:09.48 [9:25.32], 3:12.17 [12:37.49], 3:12.94 [15:50.43]; Monson 3:08.22 [18:58.65], 3:00.86 [21:59.51], 3:00.70 [25:00.21], 3:01.33 [28:01.54]; Schweizer 2:48.02)
