Woody Kincaid kicks on late to win USA 10,000-meter championship

Field Level Media|published: Fri 24th July, 24:22 2026

Jul 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; Woody Kincaid defeats Grant Fisher to win the 10,000m, 30:13.66 to 30:14.46, during the USATF Championships at Icahn Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

At age 33, Woody Kincaid still has elite finishing pace, as he proved while winning the men's 10,000-meter race on Thursday at the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships in New York.

Kincaid edged Grant Fisher by 0.80 seconds with a winning time of 30 minutes, 13.66 seconds thanks to a last lap of 54.89 seconds. The result was Kincaid's third national title in the event, following wins in the 2021 U.S. Olympic trials and the 2023 Outdoor Championships, both in Eugene, Ore.

"It's nice to know that finish is still there, that kick is still there, and I think it's still deadly," Kincaid said, according to NBC Sports.

Fisher was an Olympic bronze medalist in the event at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Drew Bosley took third on Thursday at 30:20.60.

The women's 10,000 meters saw a first-time competitor, Sydney Vaught, emerge as champion. In a race that featured a slow start, the recent University of Arkansas alumna picked up the pace late and prevailed in 33:30.60. Katie Izzo (33:36.98) and Allie Buchalski (33:42.29) wound up second and third, respectively.

"It is just a dream come true," Vaught said, per NBC Sports. "I couldn't imagine anything better for my rookie year (as a pro)."

On the other end of the experience spectrum, Rudy Winkler won his sixth national hammer throw crown, and he became a back-to-back champion for the first time. His winning distance of 77.05 meters topped the 74.93 posted by Alex Young and the 73.70 logged by Trey Knight.

Winkler, 31, also won the event in 2016, 2018, 2021, 2023 and 2025.

Isaac Grimes successfully defended his long jump championship, posting his winning distance of 8.18 meters on his final attempt. Malcolm Clemons was the runner-up at 8.07 meters, and Steffin McCarter came in third at 7.97 meters.

Madison Wiltrout captured her first national crown in the javelin throw with an attempt of 61.53 meters. The 2025 victor, Evie Bliss, wound up second at 60.41 meters, and the 2023 champ, Maddie Harris, claimed third at 57.14 meters.

The event is being held in New York for the first time since 1991 as it celebrates its 150th anniversary in the city where the inaugural edition was contested.

--Field Level Media