Hedengren's cross country win earns her USATF Athlete of the Week honors

INDIANAPOLIS -- Bettering the girls course record at the Nike Cross Nationals, Jane Hedengren (Provo, UT/USATF Utah) earned recognition as the 39th USATF Athlete of the Week award winner for 2024.

Hedengren, a senior at Timpview High School, dominated the Nike Cross Nationals girls' championship race in less-than-ideal conditions, winning by more than 40 seconds with a 16:32.7 5K effort that took down the course record at the Glendoveer Golf Course in Portland, Oregon. The previous course record of 16:37.8 was set in 2018 by Katelyn Tuohy of North Rockland HS in New York.

In June Hedengren captured the Nike Outdoor National 3000 title in Eugene, and she is a three-time Utah state champion in cross country. She won Utah state track golds in the 800 and 3200 this spring, and in 2023 she was the 800, 1600, and 3200 champion in the 5A division.

Other top performances from last week:

• Ethan Strand of North Carolina set a collegiate record and moved to No. 2 on the all-time U.S. indoor men's 3000 list with a 7:30.15 win at the Colyear-Danville Invitational in Boston.
• Graham Blanks of Harvard became the fifth-fastest American man ever in the indoor 5000, winning at the Colyear-Danville Invitational in Boston with a 12:59.89. His time is also the second fastest ever by a collegian.
• Charlie Vause of Rio Rancho High School in New Mexico won the boys' title at the Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, running 15:28.1 to claim victory by two seconds.
• Nikki Hiltz won the Kalakaua Merrie Mile women's title in Honolulu, running 4:28.65 for the road mile to edge Weini Kelati by .03 seconds.
• Hobbs Kessler was the men's winner at the Kalakaua Merrie Mile in Honolulu with a 3:56.85 on the road to beat Australia's Jack Anstey by .4 seconds.

Now in its 23rd year, USATF’s Athlete of the Week program is designed to recognize outstanding performers at all levels of the sport. USATF names a new honoree each week when there are high-level competitions and features the athlete on USATF.org. Selections are based on top performances and results from the previous week.

2024 Winners: January 17, Weini Kelati; January 24, Cooper Teare; January 31, Nico Young; February 7, Fiona O'Keeffe; February 14, Elle St. Pierre; February 21, Grant Holloway; February 28, Jalani Davis; March 6, Elle St. Pierre; March 13, Rachel Glenn; March 20, Grant Fisher; March 27, Myrle Mensey; April 3, Jordan Davis; April 10, Hillary Bor; April 17, Jacious Sears; April 24, Christian Miller; May 1, Payton Otterdahl; May 8, Gabby Thomas; May 15, Ja'Kobe Tharp; May 22, Rai Benjamin; May 29, Joe Kovacs; June 5, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone; June 12, McKenzie Long; July 10, Valarie Allman; July 17, Rai Benjamin; July 24, Quincy Wilson; September 4, Ja'Kobe Tharp; September 11, Grant Holloway; September 18, Nora Cary; September 25, Jessica McClain; October 2, Brittany Brown; October 9, Fiona Bayly; October 16, CJ Albertson; October 23, Dan King; October 30, Nick Christie; November 6, Zariel Macchia; November 13, Courtney Olsen; November 20, Lauren Gregory; December 2, Biya Simbassa; December 9, Jane Hedengren.

We welcome your nominations!

To nominate an athlete for USATF Athlete of the Week, please send a detailed email about their performance to communications@usatf.org.

Join the conversation with USATF on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook using the hashtag #USATF.

Photo Credit: Logan Hannigan-Downs / RunnerSpace