USATF Marathon Championships Bring Top U.S. Marathoners to 2022 California International Marathon
Championship fields will compete for U.S. National titles and a combined $90,000 prize purse
The 39th California International Marathon (CIM) is set to host the 2022 USA Track & Field (USATF) Road Marathon Championships on Sunday, December 4. The Marathon Championships are the final event on the annual USATF Road Racing Circuit and features 180 of the top U.S. marathoners from around the country.
2021 CIM Champion and local Sacramento area runner Brendan Gregg returns to CIM as one of the favorites to be crowned U.S. Champion on the men’s side. Gregg ran his personal best marathon time at last year’s CIM, crossing the finish line in 2:11:21, the third fastest time ever run on the CIM course.
“Every year, CIM delivers an amazing experience for runners throughout the pack, providing one of the best events anywhere in the world for running a personal best. I can’t think of a more fitting venue to host the USATF Marathon Championships this year,” said Gregg. “I’m thrilled that CIM will once again welcome many of the nation’s top marathoners to Sacramento, and returning to defend my win from last year will be all the more exciting with the chance to compete alongside them with a national title on the line.”
Gregg is expected to be challenged for the title and $20,000 first place prize by a strong field of U.S. marathoners, including Noah Droddy of Boulder, Colo. who holds the fastest marathon time in the field, having run 2:09:09. Other contenders include 2018 USATF Marathon Championships runner-up Matthew Llano of Flagstaff, Ariz., who has a personal best of 2:11:14 and Tyler Pennel of Blowing Rock, N.C who placed 11th at the 2020 USATF Marathon Olympic Trials in a personal best time of 2:12:34.
Marathon debutant Futsum Zienasellassie of Flagstaff, Ariz. may also play into the mix up-front. Zienasellassie joins the field with a 1:01:21 half-marathon personal best and is currently sitting in third place in the USATF Road Racing Circuit standings.
Favorites to win the women’s race include a trio of top-seeded marathoners: Paige Stoner of Murrieta, Calif, Bria Wetsch of Centennial, Colo., and Julia Griffey of Flagstaff, Ariz. Stoner enters the CIM women’s field with a personal best marathon time of 2:28:43. Wetsch and Griffey hold personal bests of 2:29:50 and 2:29:58, respectively. All three ran their personal best time at the 2020 Marathon Project held in Chandler, Ariz.
“This will be a unique opportunity to compete for a national title while also racing on a course that is known for producing fast times,” said Stoner. “I’m looking forward to competing against some of the nation’s best, while also chasing after a PR.”
A number of veteran marathoners and marathon debutants are also expected to be contenders up-front in the women’s field. Katja Goldring of Flagstaff, Ariz. returns to Sacramento for her fourth CIM after placing fourth at the 2021 CIM in a personal best time of 2:30:14. Lauren Hurley of Boulder, Colo. will make her marathon debut at CIM, following a professional triathlon career and recent half-marathon best of 1:09.46.
The men’s and women’s championship fields will compete for a combined $90,000 total prize purse, with additional $3,000 bonus for setting a new course record and a $500 bonus for athletes who run under the 2024 USATF Marathon Olympic Trials qualifying times of 2:18:00 for men and 2:37:00 for women. The current CIM course records are 2:10:27 for men, set in 1993 by Jerry Lawson and 2:26:53 for women, set in 2021 by Sara Vaughn.
“CIM has a long history of being both a platform for established veterans to ‘level up’, as well as a launching pad for emerging stars’ to accelerate their careers,” said Scott Abbott, Sacramento Running Association Executive Director. “This year’s U.S. Championship fields feature many athletes that fit these molds, so it will be exciting to see which athletes seize CIM’s time-tested breakthrough opportunity with the enhancement in 2022 to earn the title of ‘National Champion’,” added Abbott.
The Sacramento Running Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to finding ways to encourage people of all ages and abilities to run. The SRA is committed to developing new, quality running events that appeal to a broad variety of runners.
2022 USATF Marathon Championships:
Women’s Field – Athlete, Marathon PR, Residence |
Men’s Field – Athlete, Marathon PR, Residence |
Diane Nukuri, 2:27:50, Flagstaff, AZ |
Noah Droddy, 2:09:09, Boulder, CO |
Paige Stoner, 2:28:43, Murrieta, CA |
Matthew Llano, 2:11:14, Flagstaff, AZ |
Bria Wetsch, 2:29:50, Centennial, CO |
Brendan Gregg, 2:11:21, Sacramento, CA |
Julia Griffey, 2:29:58, Flagstaff, AZ |
Kevin Lewis, 2:12:02, Richfield, MN |
Katja Goldring, 2:30:14, Flagstaff, AZ |
Tyler Pennel, 2:12:34, Blowing Rock, NC |
Michele Lee, 2:30:32, Rochester Hills, MI |
Tyler Jermann, 2:12:40, Saint Paul, MN |
Elaina Tabb, 2:30:33, Boston, MA |
Johnny Crain, 2:12:55, Lansing, MI |
Kelsey Bruce, 2:31:53, Brackettville, TX |
Will Nation, 2:13:24, Austin, TX |
Sydney Devore, 2:32:36, Ferndale, MI |
Joseph Whelan, 2:13:39, Webster, NY |
Alexis Zeis, 2:32:40, Boulder, CO |
John Raneri, 2:13:57, Flagstaff, AZ |
Kristen Zaitz, 2:32:48, Broomfield, CO |
Jonathan Phillips, 2:14:11, Brookline, MA |
Molly Bookmyer, 2:33:19, Columbus, OH |
JJ Santana, 2:14:15, Las Vegas, NV |
Briana Boehmer, 2:33:20, Boulder, CO |
Ryan Miller, 2:14:27, San Antonio, TX |
Sophie Seward, 2:33:21, Fort Collins, CO |
Dylan Gearinger, 2:14:54, Dunmore, PA |
Jane Bareikis, 2:33:26, Crestwood, IL |
Bashash Walio, 2:15:07, Huntsville, UT |
Andrea Pomaranski, 2:33:35, Wolverine Lake, MI |
Craig Hunt, 2:15:20, Flagstaff, AZ |
Jessica McClain (Tonn), 2:33:35, Phoenix, AZ |
Ryan Root, 2:15:22, Boulder, CO |
Kate Sanborn, 2:33:37, Raleigh, NC |
Matthew Piercy, 2:15:41, Hillsboro, OR |
Kelli Smith, 2:34:09, Grand Rapids, MI |
Joel Reichow, 2:15:45, White Bear Lake, MN |
Caitlin Phillips, 2:34:43, East Jewett, NY |
Jacob Thomson, 2:15:49, Louisville, KY |
Neely Gracey, 2:34:55, Lafayette, CO |
Louis Serafini, 2:15:54, Cambridge, MA |
Gabriella Rooker, 2:34:57, Minneapolis, MN |
Daniel Docherty, 2:15:55, SAINT PAUL, MN |
Amanda Phillips, 2:35:07, Hood River, OR |
Austin Bogina, 2:16:19, Arma, KS |
Madeline Duhon, 2:35:27, Berkeley, CA |
Chris Melgares, 2:16:35, Manhattan, KS |
Julia Roman-Duval, 2:35:41, Columbia, MD |
Rajpaul Pannu, 2:16:38, Denver, CO |
Ashley Paulson, 2:36, Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Ben Fletcher, 2:16:42, Santa Fe, NM |
Courtney Olsen, 2:36:17, Bellingham, WA |
Alexander Burks, 2:16:51, Westminster, CO |
Joanna Reyes, 2:36:23, Cupertino, CA |
Conner Peloquin, 2:17:02, Issaquah, WA |
Emma Spencer, 2:36:33, Durham, NC |
Matt Lenehan, 2:17:02, San Francisco, CA |
Carrie Mack, 2:36:34, Bend, OR |
Kristoffer Mugrage, 2:17:03, Alamosa, CO |
Theresa Hailey, 2:36:40, Portland, OR |
Grayson Hough, 2:17:04, Davis, CA |
Holly Clarke, 2:36:51, San Francisco, CA |
Eric Ashe, 2:17:06, Natick, MA |
Kelly Calway, 2:37:10, Mclean, VA |
Alexander Taylor, 2:17:08, Lincoln, MA |
Autumn Ray, 2:37:12, Tucson, AZ |
Jeffrey Seelaus, 2:17:08, Boston, MA |
Elizabeth Herndon, 2:37:27, Farragut, TN |
Evan Landes, 2:17:08, Topeka, KS |
Allie Schaich, 2:37:33, Lakewood, CO |
Brett Lustgarten, 2:17:17, Chicago, IL |
AnnMarie Kirkpatrick, 2:37:49, Fort Collins, CO |
Will Cross, 2:17:18, Boulder, CO |
Lizzy Rountree, 2:37:52, San Francisco, CA |
Zachary Ornelas, 2:17:21, Ann Arbor, MI |
Savannah Berry, 2:38:03, Orem, UT |
Jackson Neff, 2:17:21, Niwot, CO |
Mary Kate Vaughn, 2:38:03, Denver, CO |
Joe Moore, 2:17:27, Manhattan, KS |
Annmarie Tuxbury, 2:38:15, Newport, Ri |
James Wilson, 2:17:27, Lawrence, KS |
Emma Huston, 2:38:17, Des Moines, IA |
Andrew McCann, 2:17:32, Westerly, RI |
Ashlee Powers, 2:38:20, Beverly Hills, CA |
Max Storms, 2:17:34, Oakland, CA |
Maria Langholz, 2:38:22, Washington, DC |
Ramiro Guillen, 2:17:35, Goleta, CA |
Ann Centner, 2:38:29, Tallahassee, FL |
Patrick Reaves, 2:17:40, Portland, OR |
Michelle Parks, 2:38:39, New Orleans, LA |
Matt Welch, 2:17:44, Bellingham, WA |
Kari Hamilton, 2:38:52, Portland, OR |
Swarnjit Boyal, 2:17:47, Yuba City, CA |
Jordan O’Dea, 2:38:57, South Boston, MA |
Ryan Archer, 2:17:51, Brooklyn, NY |
Taylor Dare, 2:39:01, Fort Worth, TX |
Adam Wollant, 2:17:53, Bozeman, MT |
Jeanne Mack, 2:39:04, Brooklyn, NY |
Kurt Roeser, 2:17:55, Longmont, CO |
Lyndy Davis, 2:39:06, Eugene, Or |
Mark Messmer, 2:17:56, Castle Rock, CO |
Rochelle Sceats-Basil, 2:39:07, Erie, CO |
Charles Remillard, 2:17:56, Denver, CO |
Teal Burrell, 2:39:08, Richmond, VA |
Johnny Rutford, 2:17:57, Beaverton, OR |
Desiree Berry, 2:39:14, Mercer Island, WA |
Matt McClintock, 2:18:03, Flagstaff, AZ |
Julianne Quinn, 2:39:16, Charlottesville, VA |
Cole Watson, 2:18:07, Rancho Cordova, CA |
April Lund, 2:39:18, Bismarck, ND |
Kevin Colon, 2:18:09, Longmont, CO |
Adrian Walsh, 2:39:22, Denver, CO |
Brandon Johnson, 2:18:13, Denver, CO |
Erika Fluehr, 2:39:29, Red Bank, NJ |
Jason Ayr, 2:18:14, Philadelphia, PA |
Megan O’Neil, 2:39:55, Rochester Hills, MI |
Kevin Wood, 2:18:21, Winooski, VT |
Jenny Grimshaw, 2:39:55, San Francisco, CA |
Zack Beavin, 2:18:26, Brookline, MA |
Annie Wheating, 2:39:56, Portland, OR |
Tom Slattery, 2:18:32, Alexandria, VI |
Sarah Bishop, 2:39:59, Fairfax, VA |
Aaron Dinzeo, 2:18:36, Providence, RI |
Hannah Rowe, 2:40:09, Boston, MA |
Benjamin Schneiderman, 2:18:36, Denver, CO |
Tara Welling, 2:40:10, Portland, OR |
Jason Simpson, 2:18:41, Boulder, CO |
Veronica Eder, 2:40:22, Philadelphia, PA |
Jacob Andrews, 2:18:43, Troy, NY |
Chelsea Benson, 2:40:24, Ithaca, NY |
Nicholas Spector, 2:18:45, Costa Mesa, CA |
Leigh Sharek, 2:40:35, Brooklyn, NY |
Josh Baden, 2:18:49, Lawrence, KS |
Kathryn Fluehr, 2:40, Boulder, CO |
Quinlan Moll, 2:18:50, Kansas City, MO |
Kat Morrissey, 2:40:39, Wilbraham, MA |
Henry Sterling, 2:18:50, SCOTTSDALE, AZ |
Bryn Morales, 2:40:42, Boulder, CO |
Everett Hackett, 2:18:53, Hartford, CT |
Amanda Nurse, 2:40:45, Concord, MA |
Jeffrey Stein, 2:18:58, Austin, TX |
Katie Florio, 2:40:47, Philadelphia, PA |
Peter Bromka, 2:19:02, PORTLAND, OR |
Kimberly Horner, 2:40:48, Minneapolis, MN |
Joshua Hibbs, 2:19:03, Wyndmoor, PA |
Katie Kellner, 2:40:57, Brighton, MA |
Darryl Brown, 2:19:21, Exton, Pa |
Samantha Diaz, 2:40:59, Jackson, WY |
Connor Reck, 2:19:27, Minneapolis, MN |
Cheyenne Moore, 2:41:01, Oshkosh, WI |
Logan Barrett, 2:19:30, Jeffersonville, IN |
Sarah Reiter, 2:41:12, Hood River, OR |
Kevin Monogue, 2:19:30, Philadelphia, PA |
Liza Reichert, 2:41:24, Moss Beach, CA |
Michael Morris, 2:19:34, Austin, TX |
Brittany Tretbar, 2:41:25, Box Elder, SD |
Tyler Morse, 2:19:35, Beaverton, US |
Megan Hogan, 2:42:00, Boston, MA |
George Crist, 2:19:49, Macon, Georgia |
Caroline Williams, 2:42:29, Boston, MA |
Andrew Leonard, 2:19:50, Westerville, OH |
Rosa Moriello, 2:45:38, Englewood, CO |
Noah GADE, 2:19:50, Charlottesvillw, VA |
Maya Weigel, DEBUT, Los Altos, CA |
Matt Hensley, 2:19:51, Superior, CO |
Sara Lopez, DEBUT, Port Orchard, WA |
Peter Falcon, 2:19:51, Maple Grove, MN |
Abbie McNulty, DEBUT, San Francisco, CA |
David Melly, 2:19:55, Boston, MA |
Breanna Sieracki, DEBUT, Burnsville, MN |
Samuel Doud, 2:19:57, Washington, DC |
Stephanie Sherman, DEBUT, Sylvania, OH |
Nathan Kwan, 2:21:38, Davis, CA |
Caroline Cole, DEBUT, Nashville, TN |
Futsum Zienasellassie, DEBUT, Flagstaff, AZ |
Lauren Hurley, DEBUT, Boulder, CO |
Jake Ritter, DEBUT, Citrus Heights, CA |