Derrick, Thweatt Lead American Charge in China

By Scott Bush

On a muddy course in chilly temperatures in 2013, Team USA shocked the world with a men’s silver medal finish at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships. Led by top ten finishers Ben True and Chris Derrick, the American men upset Ethiopia and showed just how talented and tough the United States could be in international competition.

Fast forward to 2015.

While there are no expectations among fans to see Team USA end up at the top of the podium there are hopes that both the men’s and women’s (who finished fourth in 2013) squads will contest for a top three team score in both senior races. Derrick once again leads the men, while Laura Thweatt heads up the women’s charge, as the Americans look to once again challenge on the world stage, this time in Guiyang, China.

Derrick, Vail Lead American Men

Few Americans have dominated the cross country courses domestically quite like Chris Derrick and after his tenth place finish in 2013 at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, the three-time national champion seems ready to make another leap forward on the international stage.

Derrick triumphed at the USATF Cross Country Championships in early February, winning by 30 seconds over runner-up Bobby Curtis and third place Dathan Ritzenhein. He followed up his showing in Boulder a few weeks later at the USATF Indoor Championships, where he placed fifth overall in the two-mile, a good performance considering his focus on the 12K distance.

The Bowerman Track Club standout knows what it takes to lead a team, he knows what the American squad needs to do in order to come away with a medal once again, and with experience and growing success ready to lead Team USA, do not be surprised to see Derrick challenging for top five in Guiyang.

Fellow 2013 teammate Ryan Vail is the other veteran on the squad. Vail, known more for his road racing prowess, finished 17th at Worlds the last time around. This time, he brings a wealth of international experience, a solid fifth place showing at the USATF 15 km Championships earlier this month and a strong desire to show he can hang with the world’s best over grass.

Vail should challenge for top 20 once again and has a teammate in Bobby Curtis who has the talent and experience necessary to score some low points. After debuting in the marathon in 2:11 in Chicago this past fall, Curtis built up his base and outkicked Ritzenhein to the line at the USATF Cross Country Championships. In 2013, the key to the American silver medal performance came down to having four runners place in the top 20. Curtis and Vail are the linchpins to having similar success this time around.

Rounding out Team USA, Stanford fifth-year senior Maksim Korolev, ZAP Fitness star Andrew Colley and noted trail runner Patrick Smyth each performed extremely well at the USATF Cross Country Championships last month and look to make their mark one more time, this time in China.

Four athletes comprise a team score at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, meaning one of the three needs to clearly challenge for a top 20 finish. Smyth has gained valuable international experience over the past few years, focusing his training and racing on the trails, while Colley and Korolev each bring their own level of success to the table.

Korolev in particular is one to watch. Having finished third at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in 2013, following that up with a fourth place finish in 2014, his sixth place finish at the USATF Cross Country Championships shows his cross country talent can find its way to success outside of the NCAA level.

The men’s squad is talented, tough, quietly experienced and even a hint of tough conditions this weekend and the Americans have the goods to challenge, and possibly upset, the star-studded teams from Ethiopia and Kenya.

Men’s Team: Chris Derrick, Bobby Curtis, Ryan Vail, Patrick Smyth, Maksim Korolev, Andrew Colley

Thweatt Poised for Breakthrough

It wasn’t a surprise when Laura Thweatt won the USATF Cross Country Championships back in February. What was a surprise was just how much she won by. Thweatt ran away from the gun, throwing the hammer down in the middle of the race and never looking back, as she bested a very good field by 31 seconds.

Thweatt’s performance raises expectations on the Colorado native this weekend in China. She’ll be looked upon to lead Team USA, but also challenge for a top ten finish. Thweatt has quietly risen among the ranks of American distance running, positioning herself to challenge for U.S. squads on the track, but her big win in Boulder shows something even more magical could come sooner than we all think.

In 2013, Neely (Gracey) Spence finished 13th at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships. She led Team USA to a fourth place finish, a nice showing for the Americans, and a breakthrough performance for the former Shippensburg star. In many ways, Thweatt is showing signs far superior to Spence’s fitness. Thweatt not only won by a half-minute margin in Boulder, she then came back earlier this month to place runner-up to Amy (Hastings) Cragg at the USATF 15 km Championships, the perfect tune-up for this weekend.

If Thweatt does indeed challenge for top ten, she’ll need help from Olympian Jen Rhines and fellow Coloradoan Mattie Suver. Rhines has a wealth of international experience, so in many ways she’ll be looked upon to lead the back in China.

Rhines comes off a fine sixth place showing at the USATF 15 km Championships, where she narrowly edged Suver. The two finished second (Suver) and third at the USATF Cross Country Championships and need to run to similar finishes if Team USA hopes to work their way onto the podium. One advantage for Suver, she finished 26th at these championships in 2013.

A surprise to some, Brie Felnagle placed fourth at the USATF Cross Country Championships last month. Felnagle, most notably a middle distance runner, ran exceptionally well, showing toughness and grit, working her way onto the U.S. squad. She placed third, behind Shannon Rowbury and Jordan Hasay, in the two-mile at the USATF Indoor Championships, a good sign of her fitness heading into the weekend.

While Thweatt is expected to challenge for top ten and Rhines, Suver and Felnagle top 20, Rhines’ BAA teammate Elaina Balouris and Sara Hall each could challenge for top 30. Balouris nabbed the final team spot in Boulder and continues to improve each time out as a pro, while Hall looks to bounce back from a tough showing at the USATF Marathon Championships two weeks ago, where she struggled to a 2:48:02 finish. Hall is generally as consistent as they come, but it remains to be seen how she recovers from her first marathon.

The American women challenged well in 2013. A few low scores and a surprise finish or two in Guiyang and don’t be shocked to see this squad push for a top three team finish.

Women’s Team: Laura Thweatt, Mattie Suver, Jen Rhines, Brie Felnagle, Sara Hall, Elaina Balouris