Nell Rojas
Personal information | |||||||||
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Nationality | American | ||||||||
Born | (1987-11-27) November 27, 1987 (age 36) Boulder, Colorado, U.S. | ||||||||
Height | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | ||||||||
Sport | |||||||||
Country | United States | ||||||||
Sport | Athletics Track and field | ||||||||
Event | Marathon | ||||||||
College team | Northern Arizona University | ||||||||
Team | Nike | ||||||||
Turned pro | 2010 | ||||||||
Coached by | Ric Rojas | ||||||||
Medal record
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Nell Rojas (born Nov 27, 1987) is an American triathlete, long-distance runner, coach, business owner, and winner of the 2019 Grandma's Marathon.[1][2] She also competed at the 2020 USA Olympic Marathon Trials and finished in 9th place.
Running career
Rojas ran collegiately for Northern Arizona University, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in exercise science. As a senior, she won the Big Sky Conference championship in the 3000-meter steeplechase three times and once for the 5000 meters. Rojas represented her school at the 2009 NCAA Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships. She also ran in the 2007 and 2008 NCAA Women's Division I Cross Country Championship.[3]
The first road race she ran out of college was the California International Marathon, where she finished in seventh place with a time of 2:31:23.[4] Following in her father Ric Rojas' footsteps, she raced in the competitive Bolder Boulder 10K race in 2019. She said she competed to make her father, who was also her coach, proud and carry on the family tradition (Ric had won 40 years prior). Halfway in to Nell Rojas' race, a win looked dim. She began falling behind, but then in a sprint to the finish, she beat her competitor and won the race with a time of 34:32. [5] Next she worked her way up to running Grandma's Marathon. She ran an average 5:40 mile, finishing in first with a time of 2:28:06. Her time was three minutes less than her past best and met the US Olympic marathon trials standard. [1]
In Atlanta, Georgia, at the U.S. Woman's Olympic Trials Marathon on February 29, 2020, Rojas went out with the lead pack, which stayed together for most of the race. Rojas finished in the top 10, crossing the line at 2:30:29.[6]
Rojas raced her fastest half marathon January at the Houston Half Marathon, three months before the COVID-19 pandemic paused all competitive marathons. Her time of 1:10:45 placed her as the 27th woman, and the 13th US woman.[7]
Nell Rojas of Boulder was the first American woman to cross the finish line of the Boston Marathon on April 18, 2022, in Boston, Mass.
Personal life
Nell Rojas's father, Ric Rojas, was a professional runner and taught Rojas how to run. After playing basketball in high school, Rojas started cross country and track after realizing she was more successful at running than shooting hoops. [1] Nell Rojas owns a gym and does personal training through Rojas Running.[8]
Achievements
2022 New York City Marathon 10th place, 2:28:32[9]
2022 Boston Marathon 10th place, 2:25:57[10]
2021 Boston Marathon 5th place, 2:27:12[11]
2021 USATF 10-Mile Championship 1st place, 52:13[11]
2020 U.S. Woman's Olympic Trials Marathon 9th place, 2:30:29[12]
2019 Grandma's Marathon 1st place, 2:28:06[1]
2019 USA Half Marathon Championships 8th place, 1:14:17[13]
2019 Bolder Boulder 10k race 1st place, 34:32[5]
2018 California International Marathon 7th place, 2:31:23[14]
See also
- Nell Rojas at World Athletics
References
- ^ a b c d Middlebrook, Hailey (30 July 2019). "How This Ironman Trainee Switched to Marathons and Made Her Way to Olympic Trials". Runner's World. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
- ^ "Nell Rojas". World Athletics. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
- ^ "Cross Country - Northern Arizona University Athletics". nuathletics.com. Flagstaff, Arizona: Northerner Arizona University. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- ^ Dutch, Taylor (3 December 2018). "Emma Bates Wins California International Marathon for Camp Fire Relief". Runner's World. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
- ^ a b Dawson, Andrew (29 May 2019). "Daughter Wins Bolder Boulder 40 Years After Her Dad Won the Inaugural Race". Runner's World. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
- ^ "2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials results". NBC Sports. New York, New York. 29 February 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ "2020 Chevron Houston Marathon Results - Half Marathon Woman's Overall". houstonmarathon.com.
- ^ "About - Rojas Running". rojasrunning.com. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- ^ OlympicTalk (2022-11-07). "2022 New York City Marathon Results". OlympicTalk | NBC Sports. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
- ^ "Boston Athletic Association". results.baa.org. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
- ^ a b Kuzma, Cindy (11 October 2021). "How American Women Fared in the 2021 Boston Marathon". Runner's World. Easton, Pennsylvania: Hearst. Archived from the original on 11 October 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
- ^ "2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials results". New York, New York: NBC Sports. NBC. 29 February 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ "Results: Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon". Chronotrack. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
- ^ "Nell Rojas's Race Results". Athlinks. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
External links
- "Run Coaching". Rojas Athletics. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
- Nell Rojas 2010 Track and Field profile Northern Arizona Lumberjacks track and field
- Nell Rojas 2009 Cross Country profile Northern Arizona Lumberjacks
- Nell Rojas NAU Track and Field results TFRRS.org
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- 1977 Garry Bjorklund (USA)
- 1977 Wendy Hovland (USA)
- 1978 Barney Klecker (USA) * 1978 Cheryl Westrum (USA)
- 1979 Ricky Wilde (ENG)
- 1979 Lorraine Moller (NZL)
- 1980 Garry Bjorklund (USA)
- 1980 Lorraine Moller (NZL)
- 1981 Dick Beardsley (USA)
- 1981 Lorraine Moller (NZL)
- 1982 Dick Beardsley (USA)
- 1982 Janice Ettle (USA)
- 1983 Gerry Helme (ENG)
- 1983 Jenny Spangler (USA)
- 1984 Derek Stevens (ENG)
- 1984 Anne Hird (USA)
- 1985 Don Norman (USA)
- 1985 Susan Stone (CAN)
- 1986 Joseph Kipsang (KEN)
- 1986 Karlene Herrell (USA)
- 1987 Dan Schlesinger (USA)
- 1987 Janis Klecker (USA)
- 1988 Armando Azócar (VEN)
- 1988 Jacqueline Gareau (CAN)
- 1989 Doug Kurtis (USA)
- 1989 Louise Mohanna (USA)
- 1990 Igor Braslavskiy (URS)
- 1990 Jane Welzel (USA)
- 1991 Driss Dacha (MAR)
- 1991 Janice Ettle (USA)
- 1992 Roy Dooney (IRL)
- 1992 Jane Welzel (USA)
- 1993 Doug Kurtis (USA)
- 1993 Lorraine Hochella (USA)
- 1994 Donald Johns (USA)
- 1994 Linda Somers (USA)
- 1995 Mark Curp (USA)
- 1995 Irina Bogachova (KGZ)
- 1996 Patrick Muturi (KEN)
- 1996 Mary Alico (USA)
- 1997 Patrick Muturi (KEN)
- 1997 Irina Bogachova (KGZ)
- 1998 Simon Peter (TAN)
- 1998 Elena Plastinina (UKR)
- 1999 Andrew Musuva (KEN)
- 1999 Elena Makalova (BLR)
- 2000 Pavel Andreyev (RUS)
- 2000 Svetlana Șepelev-Tcaci (MDA)
- 2001 Benjamin Matolo (KEN)
- 2001 Lyubov Belavina (RUS)
- 2002 Elly Rono (KEN)
- 2002 Zinaida Semenova (RUS)
- 2003 Joseph Kamau (KEN)
- 2003 Firiya Sultanova (RUS)
- 2004 Vladimir Tyamchik (BLR)
- 2004 Firiya Sultanova (RUS)
- 2005 Wesley Ngetich (KEN)
- 2005 Halina Karnatsevich (BLR)
- 2006 Sergey Lukin (RUS)
- 2006 Svetlana Nekhorosh (UKR)
- 2007 Wesley Ngetich (KEN)
- 2007 Mary Akor (USA)
- 2008 Lamech Mokono (KEN)
- 2008 Mary Akor (USA)
- 2009 Christopher Raabe (USA)
- 2009 Mary Akor (USA)
- 2010 Philemon Kemboi (KEN)
- 2010 Buzunesh Deba (ETH)
- 2011 Christopher Kipyego (KEN)
- 2011 Yihunlish Delelecha (ETH)
- 2012 Berhanu Girma (ETH)
- 2012 Everlyne Lagat (KEN)
- 2013 Bazu Worku (ETH)
- 2013 Sarah Kiptoo (KEN)
- 2014 Dominic Ondoro (KEN)
- 2014 Pasca Myers (KEN)
- 2015 Elisha Barno (KEN)
- 2015 Jane Kibii (KEN)
- 2016 Elisha Barno (KEN)
- 2016 Sarah Kiptoo (KEN)
- 2017 Elisha Barno (KEN)
- 2017 Helen Jepkurgat (KEN)
- 2018 Elisha Barno (KEN)
- 2018 Kellyn Taylor (USA)
- 2019 Boniface Kongin (KEN)
- 2019 Nell Rojas (USA)
- 2021 Milton Rotich (KEN)
- 2021 Dakotah Lindwurm (USA)
- 2022 Dominic Ondoro (KEN)
- 2022 Dakotah Lindwurm (USA)
- 2023 Elisha Barno (KEN)
- 2023 Lauren Hagans (USA)