Osovski and Crane's Podium Finishes Lead GVH to Team Title at USATF Masters Cross Country Championships

Results 

On Saturday (7-October) six (6) members of USATF Niagara competed in the USATF Masters 5 km Cross Country Championships in Boca Raton, FL. The championships, were the tenth, and final, race in the 2023 USATF National Masters Grand Prix. A total of 114 athletes (78 men and 36 women) competed in the championships; ranging in age from 40 to 90. The race conditions were hot and humid with temperatures reaching the mid-80s with 85% humidity.

The storylines of the day were the national title won by Brenda Osovski (Genesee Valley Harriers) in the women's 55-59 division and the team title won by the Genesee Valley Harriers women's 50+ team.

Osovski, 57, won the women's 55-59 division in a time of 24:49. She defeated Lori Mangual from Long Island by over five minutes. In the women's 50-54 division Cassandra Crane (54, Genesee Valley Harriers) finished third running 23:26. In the women's 60-64 division Sandra Gregorich (61, Genesee Valley Harriers) finished fourth running 25:18. The Genesee Valley Harriers trio combined for a team time of 1:17:01 to win the W50+ team title.

In the men's race, Christopher Hernandez and Dale Flanders just missed podium finishes as they finished fourth and fifth in the their respective age divisions. Hernandez, 47, ran 18:29 in the men's 45-49 division to place fourth. In the men's 55-59 division Flanders time of 19:27 secured a fifth place division finish. 

Roger Roll (63, Checkers AC) finished eighth in the men's 60-64 division running 34:46.