Feb. 2, 2013

ST. LOUIS - Chris Derrick ‘12, a 14-time All-America at Stanford, captured his first major title by winning the men’s race at the U.S. Cross Country Championships at Forest Park on Saturday.

Derrick ran 35:38.6 over 12-kilometers (7.46 miles) to finish ahead of second-place Dathan Ritzenheim and third-place Matt Tegenkamp – two runners who earned Olympic berths at fourth-place Derrick’s expense at the 2012 Olympic trials in the 10,000 meters.

Just behind was Derrick’s Stanford teammate, Elliott Heath ‘11, who was fourth in 35:56.1. Both Derrick and Heath train with Nike’s Oregon Track Club Elite.

Derrick was the 2012 Pac-12 Track and Field Athlete of the Year and set an American collegiate record in the 10,000 (27:31.58), but never won an NCAA title, in track or cross country. The U.S. championship, therefore, is a long time coming for Derrick.

Other former Stanford runners in the field included Jacob Riley ’11 (19th, 36:47.2) and Brendan Gregg ’11 (29th, 37:14.3), both of the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project.

In the women’s race, former Stanford star Sara Bei Hall ‘05, running for Asics, was eighth over 8K (4.97 miles) in 27:12.2. Shalane Flanagan won in 25:49.0. Hall was the defending champion.

Stanford freshman Thomas Graham was fifth in the Junior 8K in 24:52.2, only five seconds behind winner Craig Nowak of Oklahoma State.