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DES MOINES, Iowa — Lopez Lomong set a stadium record and personal best en route to winning the men’s 10,000m on the first day at the 2019 USATF Outdoor Championships on Thursday.
On the women’s side, Molly Huddle easily defended her crown, after taking over the lead in the latter stages to extend her win streak at the U.S. Trials in the women’s 10,000m.
Lomong, who took the lead with one mile to go in the race, stopped the clock in a time of 27 minutes, 30.06 seconds to defend the title he won at the same venue last year.
He broke the previous Drake Stadium record of 28:07.14, held by Cam Levins since 2012.
The Bowerman Track Club elite pulled away from Shadrack Kipchirchir, who led for most of the race, but had to settle for second in a seasonal best time of 27:47.71.
“The race was exactly the way I pictured it,” Lomong told reporters. “It was a really good pace and a great championship.”
Leonard Korir, took third place with 28:01.43, well below his season’s best of 27:34.01.
Huddle, whose training earlier this season was hindered by minor foot issues and illness, ran 31:58.47 to win the women’s race and fifth straight U.S. 10,000m title.
The Elmira native overtook her training partner Emily Sisson with less than four laps to go before increasing the lead with a strong finish.
“I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to wind it up at the end, but I started and saw where it took me,” Huddle told reporters.
“Luckily I was able to pull it off.”
Sisson closed in second with a time of 32:02.19 and Kellyn Taylor took third in 32:02.74.
“We weren’t sure who was going to come out on top today,” said Huddle about her battle with Sisson.
“We hoped to kind of figure we’d be one-two, but we weren’t sure coming off London.
“Emily responds really well to marathon training. She was a beast at Stanford when we were in the middle of that buildup.”
