USA Track & Field – News News and Notes – September 2, 2014

Marathoner Jane Welzel passes away at 59

FORT COLLINS, Colorado — Jane Welzel, a five-time Olympic Marathon Trials participant, race director of the Mountain Avenue Mile and Bacon Strip Races and one of the pioneers of the women's running movement, died Sunday after a brief battle with cancer.

A Hopkinton, Massachusetts, native, Welzel moved to Fort Collins in 1989, drawn to Colorado because of its well-regarded running culture. She'd quickly become a lynchpin in the tight knit running community, organizing "Tuesday Night Track" interval workouts at Colorado State University's Jack Christiansen Track and starting the popular Mountain Avenue Mile race.

Welzel grew up watching the famous Boston Marathon, a race that didn't allow women to participate until 1972. She ran Boston as a 19-year-old in 1975. Nine years later, she ran in the historic 1984 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, a first for women, who hadn't been allowed to run the marathon in the Olympics.

Read her full memorial in Tuesday’s The Coloradoan.

IAAF World Challenge – Zagreb

ZAGREB, Croatia — The U.S. women put on a show at the IAAF World Challenge in Zagreb, Croatia on Tuesday, as two Americans won their events at Hanžeković Memorial hosted at the Sportski park Mladost. Brenda Martinez took the women’s 1,500 meters in Zagreb, finishing in 4:05.46.

After an injury-plagued outdoor season, Nia Ali showed up in a serious way in Zagreb, winning the women’s 100-meter hurdles in 12.92 over a talented field including Olympian Tiffany Porter. Joanna Atkins also had a solid outing Tuesday, finishing second in the women’s 200 meters in 22.99.

Full results of the IAAF World Challenge in Zagreb are available here.

USARC Standings Update

With just three events remaining on the 2014 USA Running Circuit, Christo Landry has emerged as a favorite on the men’s side, leading the U.S. men in points with 76. Landry has three victories and two runner-up finishes on this year’s circuit, having captured the top spot in the USA 10 Mile, 25K and 10K Championships.

On the women’s side, the race for first is tight as Sara Hall leads the way with 46 points, while Mattie Suver and Kellyn Johnson are right behind Hall with 37 and 36 points, respectively. Hall has been out of commission for the latter part of the summer racing season after a broken rib and a ruptured appendix  and Johnson recently finished fifth at the USA 20K Championships Monday in New Haven, Connecticut. acing

With double points being awarded for two of the last three USARC races, the overall USARC Championship and $25,000 for the men’s and women’s winners are both still in the air.  The .US National 12K boasts $100,000 $100,000 in total prize money and double points to end the season, while the USA Marathon Championships are also worth double points for the winner through 10th place.

2014 USARC Standings – through USA 20K Championships

Amanda Brooks
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USA Track & Field
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