Santiago de Cali, Colombia– Utah State cross country runner Ana Weaver finished placed eighth in the 5,000 meters at the World Athletics U20 Championships on Saturday in Santiago de Cali, Colombia. Weaver finished with a time of 16:35.74.

"My first initial thought is how cool of an experience it was to run in such a high energy environment and against the world's best athletes," Weaver said. "Just standing on the line next to people who are so talented and share their love for competing was unbelievable. My main thought before the race was gratitude. I was just so grateful to be there, and for everyone who supports me endlessly... My A goal was to finish in the top-10. I knew there were a lot of girls in that range who were fighting for those spots also, so being able to accomplish that definitely boosts my confidence. I am just so blessed to have a healthy body that I can compete with."

Weaver was the top American finisher in the race as Heidi Nielson from the University of Arkansas placed 13th in the 19-person field. Ethiopia's Medina Eisa placed first overall with a time of 15:29.71.

"There is a lot behind the colors on your chest when you are running," Weaver said. "I think representing the USA is running for something more than yourself. I was focused on how high I could finish for our country, vs myself. My race plan was laid out so that I could finish strong and pick up some places towards the end of the race. I think being at this race also opened my eyes to a whole to perspective about the world. We are so lucky and so blessed to live in such a safe country full of countless opportunities."

Weaver, a transfer from BYU, qualified for the event after recording a time of 16:25.67 in the 5,000 meters at the 2022 USATF U20 Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, on June 23.

"It definitely gives me experience of racing on a bigger stage with higher stakes," Weaver said. " andI think this will help me in future NCAA races. It also made me realize how much I take advantage of the resources and tools I have such easy access to, like a safe place to run outside everyday. It was hard to run all of my miles in circles on a track, and being stuck at the hotel, but it was all worth it. I am so grateful I was able to experience this and interact with amazing people of all cultures."

For more information on the Utah State track & field/cross country programs, follow the Aggies on Twitter at @USUTF_XC, on Facebook at USUTrack and on Instagram at USUTF_XC.

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