Lipari, 29, surges past Randall in final stretch to move within one victory of Kampf’s record four crowns, with each win coming in Des Moines; Ciattei, 27, builds late lead, then holds off Ryan to produce national championship breakthrough

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

DES MOINES, Iowa – With less than 100 meters remaining in the race Tuesday night and her pursuit of a third career national title at the USATF 1 Mile Road Championships presented by Toyota still up for grabs, adidas athlete Emily Lipari took a quick glance ahead on Grand Avenue and saw a pair of local military representatives holding the finish line tape.

It was all the inspiration Lipari, 29, needed to produce one last surge, especially since her husband Tim Nangeroni is a submarine officer in the U.S. Navy, and she made the final move a decisive one in order to get past Jenn Randall and prevail in 4 minutes, 32.30 seconds, in the first of two marquee races highlighted as part of the Grand Blue Mile presented by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

RESULTS | INTERVIEWS

The event was the third scheduled showcase as part of the USATF Running Circuit presented by Toyota, following the USATF Cross Country Championships in San Diego in January and the USATF 15-Kilometer Championships in Jacksonville in March.

Lipari, representing Golden Coast Track Club, celebrated another championship in Des Moines, joining her 2018 victory on Grand Avenue in 4:32.9, along with her 2020 win in 4:29.3 as part of the Blue Oval Showcase that concluded inside Drake Stadium.

It was perhaps the most significant of the three victories for Lipari, who was sidelined one year ago with a torn meniscus in her right knee and didn’t resume full training until December, before returning to racing in March in Southern California by achieving the World Championships standard with her 31:24.82 performance in the 10,000 meters.

Only Heather Kampf has more career road mile national titles than Lipari with four, winning in 2014 in Des Moines, along with 2012, 2015 and 2016 in Minneapolis.

Randall, representing Cascadia Elite, clocked 4:32.68 in her USATF 1 Mile Road Championships debut and Northern Iowa assistant coach Alexina Teubel took third in 4:34.28, improving on her previous-best finish of seventh place, most recently in 2020.

Allie Wilson of Atlanta Track Club Elite elevated from ninth last year to finish fourth Tuesday in 4:36.75.

Vincent Ciattei, competing for Nike Oregon Track Club Elite, earned his first career national championship at age 27, finding a clear path on the edge of the front pack and creating separation in the final 200 meters, before holding on to prevail against surging adidas competitor Paul Ryan by a 4:03.20 to 4:03.74 margin.

Ciattei won his first elite road race in July at the Fleet Feet Liberty Mile in 3:58.39, giving him the belief he could be a top contender at this year’s championship event, despite never having finished higher than fifth place in any previous USATF indoor, outdoor or road final.

Ciattei became the sixth consecutive first-time winner of the men’s road mile title after three-time winner David Torrence (2009-11) and Garrett Heath combined to win five of the first seven championships.

Both Ciattei and Lipari earned winner’s prizes of $5,000.

Ryan, an All-American in the 1,500 meters at Washington, produced a strong performance in his event debut, moving from fifth place in the final 150 meters to finish only two steps behind Ciattei.

Shane Streich, the U.S. indoor record holder in the 1,000 meters representing Atlanta Track Club Elite, took third in 4:04.12 after making his road mile debut April 16 with a third-place finish in 4:09.28 at the B.A.A. Invitational Mile in Boston.

Clayton Murphy, a Nike professional who won in Des Moines in 2017 in 4:00.0, clocked 4:04.53 to finish fourth after placing third last year in 3:59.5 in a race that concluded on Jim Duncan Track.

Katie Follett, representing Brooks and Elevated Performance, placed 10th in the women’s race in 4:58.25 in her first USATF Championship appearance following the birth of her son Joshua in September.

The USATF Half Marathon Championships on May 7 in Indianapolis are the next scheduled stop on the USATF Running Circuit presented by Toyota.