Track and Field | 6/8/2017 10:24:00 PM

Video highlights | Race results
EUGENE, Ore. – San Francisco distance runner Charlotte Taylor raced to an historic finish at Hayward Field, taking home her own title from Tracktown, USA as she cruised to USF's first individual national championship in nearly 50 years.

"We knew she had had all the components to be a national champion," remarked USF head coach Helen Lehman-Winters after the race. "Obviously, a lot of things can happen, but even if the race had been run differently I feel like she would have prevailed. She was going to be the one."

The Spalding, England native took the crown in the 10,000 meters on Thursday evening in impressive fashion, overpowering her competition in the final lap of the race as she crossed the line in 32:38.57.

"I am super excited," exclaimed Taylor after her championship finish. "I really had set my eyes on being an All-American at the beginning of the season so to come away with a win is just beyond my wildest dreams, really. I think it hasn't really sunk in yet. I just felt really great, and the race played out just how I would have liked. I was able to finish off at the end, so I'm super happy."

Entering the day with the second-fastest 10K on the season, Taylor picked the best time imaginable to win her first race of the year, and just the second of her collegiate career to become the champion. Along with standing alone as the only female to win a national championship at USF, she stands as just the third Don in history to become a two-time first team All-American - the first to do so in multiple sports (2016, cross country).

Taylor moved up to the front pack from the outset and eased up to second place as she rode the shoulder of New Mexico's Alice Wright at the midpoint of the race. with Kansas athlete Sharon Lokedi joined the top trio. Lokedi twice challenged to pass up Taylor but the Don held her resolve to remain in second. With one lap left in the race, Taylor made her move to take the lead from Wright and outraced the Lobo in the final stretch to cross the line nearly four seconds ahead of her closest competitor.

"When the gap opened up on the inside with 400 to go, I guess I just saw it and went for it," said Taylor. "And once I made my move I knew I had to make that my move, so I just ran hard all the way to the line then."

"At one point Sharon Lokedi looked like she was going to take the lead, but then she didn't really do anything with it," reflected Lehman-Winters, "and when Charlotte made that move, I had complete confidence that she was going to go all the way, with the way that she did it. She's never done that before, and she's never done it that decisively. The way that she did it, I felt confident. This is it; this is done; she's taking it all the way to the finish line. We were going crazy.

"Obviously, it's incredible, and she's set the standard high. We feel like any time you can achieve at a higher level, it raises the bar for everybody in our program, and we're excited that she was able to achieve this and more excited about the future, having her come back next year along with the squad coming up. It's huge, and it could not have happened to a better person."