Goucher 13th in World Championships 10,000m

Duluth native Kara Goucher finished 13th in the 10,000-meters at the IAAF World Track & Field Championships in Daegu, South Korea this morning.

A bronze medalist in the event at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan, Goucher clocked 32:29.58 in today's 25-lap event.

Vivian Cheruiyot lead a 1-2-3-4 Kenya sweep in the event, running a personal best 30:48.98. Three-time NCAA cross country champion Sally Kipyego was runner-up in 30:50.04.

Shalane Flanagan was the top American finisher, 7th in 31:25.57. Jen Rhines was 9th in 31:47.59.

Goucher was challenged this season by a stress reaction in the neck of her femur, an injury which caused her to skip the London Diamond League meet earlier this summer and, for a time, put the World Championships in doubt.

Find complete results HERE.

Update: USA Track and Field provided the following post-race quotes from Goucher ...

“I’ve been battling an injury and I kept thinking if my workouts go to the crapper I’ll just give up my spot, and even though I’ve been in a lot of pain, my workouts have just progressed and progressed, So I just knew I would have so much regret if I didn’t try... You only get so many chances ... When I was warming-up it was the best I’ve felt in weeks ... I fought all the way to the end.”