We Speak Track And Field
Penn State’s Nick Sloff Named USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week After Paul Short Win
Penn State’s cross country season has a headline name. Nick Sloff has been named the USTFCCCA Men’s NCAA Division I National Athlete of the Week after winning the men’s 8K Gold Race at the Paul Short Run in 23:59.8.
Sloff is the first Nittany Lion to win the Paul Short Run since Evan Dorenkamp in 2023, and he led the way to a landmark team result: Penn State finished second with 129 points, the program’s best Paul Short finish since winning the title in 2001.
A national weekly honour, a major invitational title and the program’s best team showing at the meet in a quarter-century — Sloff’s autumn is building exactly the way Penn State hoped.
We Speak Track And Field
Yehualaw Returns in Valencia as Kwizera Chases Spanish History
Yalemzerf Yehualaw returns from maternity leave in Valencia on Oct. 25, Rodrigue Kwizera chases a first Spanish win, and Kenenisa Bekele is also on the start list.
The Valencia Half Marathon on Sunday, Oct. 25 brings together a returning superstar, a man chasing national history, and one of the greatest distance runners of all time.
Yalemzerf Yehualaw headlines the women’s race in her return from maternity leave. The Ethiopian last raced at the Boston Marathon in April 2025, finishing third in 2:18:06, and her half marathon personal best of 1:03:51 — run on this course in 2021 — makes her the fastest woman in the field. She faces Lisbon champion Tsigie Gebreselama, world road running silver medallist Veronica Loleo and Ftaw Zeray on a course famous for fast times.
The men’s race could produce a first. Rodrigue Kwizera owns the fastest personal best in the field at 58:16, set in Prague earlier this year, and after receiving Spanish citizenship in 2026 he is chasing both the first Spanish men’s victory in Valencia and the Spanish record of 59:39. His training partner Thierry Ndikumwenayo, Andrea Kiptoo, Owen Kapkama, Daniel Ebenyo and 2018 winner Jemal Yimer are all in the field — along with Kenenisa Bekele, the three-time Olympic champion whose appearance alone will draw a crowd.
Britain’s Ben Connor, Charlie Wheeler and Samantha Harrison also feature. The course records — Yomif Kejelcha’s 57:30 and Letesenbet Gidey’s 1:02:52 — were both world records when set, which tells you everything about Valencia’s speed.
Photo: Canadian Running
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