INDIANAPOLIS -- Winning the women's USATF 10km Trail Championships title by more than a minute, Lauren Gregory (Hanover, NH/USATF Southern California) earned recognition as the 37th USATF Athlete of the Week award winner for 2024.
Gregory, who earned multiple NCAA all-America honors on the track while at the University of Arkansas, won the Dirt Circus 10K in Bentonville, Arkansas, in 41:45, 1:33 ahead of the nearest finisher. The 25-year-old won her third off-track race of the year and has established herself as one of the top trail runners in the world.
Second at the Salomon Golden Trail Finals in Switzerland last month, Gregory represented the U.S. at the 2022 World Mountain and Trail Running Championship in Thailand. She placed 13th in the 5000 at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Eugene in June and notched a PB 15:17.99 earlier that month.
Other top performances from last week:
Christian Allen was the men's champion at the USATF 10K Trail Championships in Bentonville, Arkansas, with a 36:40 that put him 1:04 ahead of the runner-up.
Graham Blanks of Harvard won the men's individual title by more than 17 seconds at the NCAA Northeast Regional Cross Country Championships with a 29:34.7 10K time.
Grace Hartman led her North Carolina State women's squad to victory at the NCAA Southeast Regional Cross Country Championships with a 20:04.2 for 6K to take the individual title.
William Zegarski of Butler won the men's individual title at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Cross Country Championships, running 29:12.7.
Liam Murphy helped his Villanova men's team to the title at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Cross Country Championships by winning the individual 10K crown by nine seconds in 29:22.8.
Paityn Noe paced her Arkansas women's team to victory at the NCAA South Central Regional Cross Country Championships, winning the individual 6K title by 27 seconds in 18:55.8.
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.
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.
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Photo Credit: Jeremiah Justis