New York, November 6, 2021— Two-time NCCA champion Weini Kelati smashed the event record at the 2021 USATF 5K Championships at the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line on Saturday in Central Park, taking the tape in 15:18, while U.S. indoor champion Drew Hunter won the men’s race in 13:53.
Kelati, who became a U.S. citizen in June following a career at the University of New Mexico, finished the race on a solo sprint to win her first U.S. title and better Molly Huddle’s previous event-best mark from 2017 by six seconds. She finished 29 seconds ahead of runner-up Grace Barnett, a U.S. Olympic Trials finalist. Barnett crossed the line in 15:45 and was followed by two-time U.S. champion Erika Kemp in third place in 15:46. Rio 2016 Olympic gold medalist Gwen Jorgensen was sixth in 15:50.
It also marked the first U.S. road title for Hunter, who jumped into the lead with about 100 meters to go in Central Park. Olympic gold medalist and seven-time national champion Matthew Centrowitz was second in 13:53 – seven tenths of a second back – and Sydney Gidabuday was third with the same time.
The Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K and USATF 5K Championships featured five Olympians and 28 athletes who competed at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials. It took place in Midtown Manhattan the day prior to the TCS New York City Marathon, and featured a $60,000 prize purse – the largest of any 5K race in the world.
Following in the footsteps of the professional athletes were around 7,000 runners participating in the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K, including top local athletes and many runners participating in the marathon the following day.
Abbott, the title sponsor of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, served as the title sponsor of the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K for the fifth time. Abbott, a global healthcare company, helps people live fully with life-changing technology and celebrates what’s possible with good health.
The Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K annually provides TCS New York City Marathon supporters, friends and families the opportunity to join in on the thrill of marathon race week. The course begins on Manhattan’s east side by the United Nations, then takes runners along 42nd Street past historic Grand Central Terminal and up the world-famous Avenue of the Americas past Radio City Music Hall. It then passes through the rolling hills of Central Park before finishing at the iconic TCS New York City Marathon finish line.
About New York Road Runners (NYRR)
NYRR’s mission is to help and inspire people through running. Since 1958, New York Road Runners has grown from a local running club to the world’s premier community running organization. NYRR’s commitment to New York City’s five boroughs features races, virtual races, community events, free youth running initiatives and school programs, the NYRR RUNCENTER featuring the New Balance Run Hub, and training resources that provide hundreds of thousands of people each year with the motivation, know-how, and opportunity to Run for Life. NYRR’s premier event, and the largest marathon in the world, is the TCS New York City Marathon. Held annually on the first Sunday in November, the race features a wide population of runners, from the world’s top professional athletes to a vast range of competitive, recreational, and charity runners. To learn more, visit www.nyrr.org.
