Kelati Repeats as MW Track Athlete of the Week
MW RELEASE
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— After competing against some of the top collegiate and professional runners, University of New Mexico junior Weini Kelati has been named the Mountain West Women’s Track Athlete of the Week.
Tuesday’s selection marks the second week in a row that Kelati has earned the weekly conference honor and the third this indoor season. As a team, the Lobos have had four females win athletes of the week and five overall with Tanner Battikha winning men’s field athlete of the week on Feb. 4.
The Lobo distance runner picked up the award after finishing seventh at the NYRR Millrose Games in the 3000-meter, running a time of 8:54.66. That time would be the second-fastest in UNM program history, only behind her 8:53.98 that she ran at last year’s Millrose Games to set the school record. Additionally, it clocks as the second-best time run this season in the NCAA, only behind Wisconsin’s Alicia Monson, who ran a time of 8:53.69 in the same race on Saturday.
As a result, Kelati now has the second-best time in two events, the 5000-meter (15:14.71) and now the 3000-meter, and the third-best time in the mile (4:32.66) according to the TFRRS NCAA Indoor Qualifying Performance List.
In her career, Kelati owns three indoor school records, including the mile (4:31.70), the 3000-meter (8:53.98) and the aforementioned 5000-meter, and an outdoor school record in the 10,000-meter (32:09.10).
Not only has the junior been named the weekly award winner three times this season following her three races, Kelati was also included on the latest Bowerman Watch List released on Feb. 4. Of the latest list, six of the women were on the preseason watch list, including Kelati.
The Lobos continue to host this week with the Don Kirby Elite Invitational, starting on Thursday, Feb. 13 and finishing up on Friday, Feb. 14. The meet will be streamed on FloTrack.
2019-20 MW Women’s Track Athletes of the Week
Feb. 11 – Weini Kelati, Jr., New Mexico
Feb. 4 – Weini Kelati, Jr., New Mexico
Jan. 28 – Alondra Negron, Jr., New Mexico
Jan. 21 – Karoline Sauer, Sr., Nevada
Jan. 14 – Cassondra Hall, Sr., UNLV
Dec. 17 – Weini Kelati, Jr., New Mexico