Kelati 3-Peats, Beadlescomb Wins His 1st At 87th Manchester Road Race

MANCHESTER, CT — It was a three-peat for Weini Kelati in the women's field and a first-time win for Morgan Beadlescomb for the men Thursday in the 87th Manchester Road Race.

Beadlescomb, a 25-year-old from Boston and Adidas, out-dueled defending champ Connor Mantz, of Provo, Utah, inside a pack of five runners over the last mile to win the 4.748-mile race in 21:12, a time six seconds off the course record and less than a second ahead of Mantz.

Thanksgiving morning in Manchester was greeted by a stiff, 14 mph headwind on the Mile-4 straightaway, and Beadlescomb took to the outside at the critical juncture in the race. It then turned into a dash to the finish line, won by Beadlescomb on the final downhill stretch.

Ketali, 26, a native of Eritrea now hailing from Johnson City, Tennessee and Under Armor/Dark Sky Elite, drafted in the center of a men's pack from the 2-mile mark to the 4-mile point and was clearly on her way to a third straight title. Her time of 23:21 bested Annie Rodenfels of Newton MA, who finished in 24:06.

Kelati holds the women's course record of 22:55, set in 2021.

Mantz and Kelati captured the King and Queen of the Hill titles.