Amanda Vestri Channels Past Champion to Win 6K Title

A Journey to Victory: Amanda Vestri's Path to National Championship

Amanda Vestri’s journey to becoming a national champion was fueled by inspiration and determination. The Webster, N.Y., native made history at the 2025 USA Track and Field Women's 6K Championships, where she claimed her first national title on July 12 in downtown Canton. With a time of 18:28.57, Vestri secured the win by nearly seven seconds, showcasing her strength and strategic approach.

This victory marked a significant milestone for Vestri, who had previously finished as a runner-up to Annie Rodenfels in 2024. Rodenfels did not participate in this year's race, which allowed Vestri to step into the spotlight with renewed focus. Her strategy was simple yet powerful—emulate the fearless style of Rodenfels, whom she admired for her confidence and competitive spirit.

Course Familiarity and Strategic Planning

Vestri’s deep understanding of the Canton 6K road course played a crucial role in her success. The course starts at Malone University and winds through the city’s Ridgewood neighborhood with several quick turns before finishing downtown. One of the key challenges is a steep hill after the second mile, which requires a strong finish.

“Knowing the course, the turns, and the elevation helps a lot,” Vestri said. “There's a decent sized hill right after two miles. You have to grind it a little bit. After that, it's a pretty nice downhill the rest of the way.”

Despite the challenging terrain, Vestri managed to maintain her pace throughout the race. However, the humid conditions, with temperatures nearing 80 degrees, posed an additional challenge. Although she fell short of breaking the course record of 17:52 set by Keira D’Amato in 2022, Vestri remained proud of her performance.

“I’m not going to lie. Toward the end, I was getting pretty hot,” Vestri admitted. “It started to get a little bit too warm. I really just tried to manage my effort throughout the race. The last 1K was probably the hardest part, but overall, it was a good effort.”

From Collegiate Runner to Professional Athlete

Vestri’s path to professional running began during her collegiate years at Iowa State and Syracuse. She achieved notable results, finishing sixth in the indoor 5,000 and seventh in the outdoor 10,000 at nationals with Syracuse in 2023. As a pro runner for Brooks, she has been expanding her range, competing in longer distances over the past year.

Her half marathon debut in Orlando in December 2024 was followed by strong performances in Houston in January and third place at the USA Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta in March. Vestri credits her coach for helping her transition into longer races.

“My coach and I always knew that we wanted to go up into the longer distances,” Vestri said. “This year, it just kind of worked out.”

A Season of Growth and New Goals

Vestri’s victory at the 6K Championships was her first since March 2024 when she won the 10,000 at The TEN in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. Over the past two years, she has consistently finished in the top 10 in every race she has entered, demonstrating her steady progress as an athlete.

Looking ahead, Vestri is setting her sights on the USA Track and Field Championships, which will take place from July 31 in Eugene, Oregon. She reflects on the growth she has experienced since her first year as a professional runner.

“The season has been really good,” Vestri said. “I've had a lot of growth and maturity since last year, which was my first year as a pro. I learned a lot of things about myself as a racer and am trying to build on that going forward.”

Race Results and Community Highlights

Annie Frisbee came in second with a time of 18:35.26, followed by Fiona O'Keeffe (18:37.18), Molly Born (18:40.01), and Ednah Kurgat (19:04.81) rounding out the top five. In addition to the main event, North Royalton's Alyssa Thomas won the community 6K with a time of 20:22.42.