US distance runner in Paris with family in heart after leaving Eritrea as a teen for new life

SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — Weini Kelati brought one picture to the United States with her. It's a photo taken when the long-distance runner was just a child — the only snapshot she had of her family together.

Her dad, who served in the military, died soon after the photo. Her mom and two brothers remain back in Eritrea.

That image is a driving force and a constant reminder of that day in 2014, when, as a teenager, she decided not to board a plane back to Eritrea after the world junior championships in Eugene, Oregon. Instead, she was taken in by a relative and went to high school in Virginia before competing at the University of New Mexico.

A decade since seeking asylum and later earning U.S. citizenship, she qualified for the Paris Olympics by winning the 10,000 meters in Eugene, the same place where her life changed.

It was a full-circle moment that made her think of home. Of her mom, who she’s seen once in 10 years, and her brothers, who she hasn’t been able to visit. Of her late dad, too, who she knows would be beaming with pride.

“Sometimes, our dreams get delayed,” said Kelati, who races Friday, “until they happen at the right time.”

Becoming a runner

At U.S. Olympic trials earlier this summer, Kelati bided her time over the 25-lap race, tucking in behind a pair of contenders heading into the last lap. Then, with the finish line in sight, she sprinted to the win. She crossed the finish line and was handed a mini-statue of the Eiffel Tower.

Kelati sat on the track and covered her head with her arms. The moment, her journey, flooded back.

Growing up in Eritrea, running wasn’t a love for Kelati but something all kids were required to do for school. The choices: Run or receive a lower grade in gym class.

So she did, with a determination. She finished second — to a boy — in a race.

“My teacher was like, ‘You need to (run). You’re very talented in this,’” she recalled.

It wouldn’t be the last time she heard that.

Not long after, Kelati entered a road race located a town away. She got up early and walked to the event, which took a few hours. She won.

That's how she came to represent her country at the 2012 African championships in Cape Town. She helped the team to a silver medal in the junior division.

Eritrea to America

Soon after, the event that would change her life — world junior championships in Eugene. She knew when she boarded the plane she wouldn't be returning. But she kept it a secret. She just said farewell.

“When I landed, I was like, ‘I’m going to be away from my family for a very long time,’” she said. “I got pretty emotional. It was hard to run.”

The weight of the decision took a toll on the then 17-year-old after she finished eighth in the 3,000 meters.

“I thought I was mature enough to make this decision and do all of those things by myself,” said Kelati, who trains in Flagstaff, Arizona, with Under Armour’s Dark Sky distance team. “It’s not easy to make a decision and get a new life, getting used to a new life, learning a new language and making new friends. I would say I handled it pretty well, even though it’s been a hard journey.”

Kelati didn’t want to elaborate on her reasons why she sought asylum from Eritrea, which advocacy groups in 2014 called one of the most closed countries in the world since it gained independence in 1993.

“I wanted to chase my dream, and I felt like this was a good opportunity to support my family,” Kelati said. “That’s all I can say.”

Shortly after the plane departed without her 10 years ago, a cousin reached out. They got in contact with another relative in Virginia, who invited her to join his family that included four kids.

“I can’t thank him enough,” Kelati said. “He just cared about me. This wouldn’t happen without him — he gave me everything I needed for a better future.”

Kelati attended Heritage High School in Leesburg, Virginia, where she won t he 2015 Foot Locker national cross country championships. Colleges reached out and she took visits. But it was the first trip she took that made the biggest impact. The University of New Mexico campus in Albuquerque, reminded her of home.

“The early morning sunshine and desert, the altitude — everything was perfect for me,” Kelati said. “It was a good place for me.”

She became one of the most decorated distance runners in Lobos history, winning the 10,000 meters at the 2019 NCAA outdoor track championships.

Kelati became a US citizen two days before the Olympic trials

Kelati became a U.S. citizen in 2021 — two days before the U.S. Olympic track trials held in Eugene. She didn’t make the team for Tokyo. Running at Hayward Field has long been a mental hurdle but one she cleared in June at trials.

“I had to forget the past," she said, "and focus on the present.”

Two years ago, Kelati got to see her mom in person for the first time since she left. They met up in Uganda for their reunion.

“At the airport, she saw me first,” Kelati said. “She was crying and ran towards me, and we both cried.”

They stayed up late telling stories.

“I was like, ‘I can’t believe I get to see you,’” she said. “It was an amazing moment.”

She has yet to see her two brothers. But they talk all the time. The family won’t make it to Paris.

But they know they can watch her. She figures her dad is probably keeping an eye on her, too.

“My mom tells me stories about how amazing he was,” Kelati said. “I’m so proud of him. And whatever I do, I just want to make him proud — make my family proud.”

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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games