Tuesday, October 23, 2018

NEW ORLEANS – Alaska Anchorage Emmah Chelimo’s victory over a talented field at the Western Washington Classic has earned the junior selection as the Division II Women’s Cross Country National Athlete of the Week by the U.S. Track and Field & Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Chelimo, who was also named the GNAC Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week, covered the 6,000-meter course at Bellingham’s Sudden Valley Golf Course in a time of 21:15. She finished two seconds ahead of former Simon Fraser standout Julia Howley and 44 seconds ahead of the next GNAC athlete, Simon Fraser’s Addy Townsend. The victory led the Alaska Anchorage women to a third-place finish in the meet with 76 points.

It was the second victory in three meets this season for Chelimo. She was the winner over a Division I-laden field at the UNLV Invitational on Sept. 22, where she ran 18:54.7 for 5,000 meters. Chelimo opened the season by placing second at the Skinny Raven Classic in Anchorage on Sept. 8, clocking 21:19.9 for 6,000 meters.

Chelimo will be one of the favorites to contend for the individual title at the GNAC Cross Country Championships, which takes place on Sat., Nov. 3 in Monmouth, Oregon. She finished eighth at the 2017 GNAC Championships, earning All-GNAC and GNAC Newcomer of the Year awards in the process. Chelimo also placed 25th at last year’s NCAA West Regional to earn all-region honors.