M18-20 Half Marathon: Walton dominates a five-man field in the rain

• David Walton took the M18-20 title in 1:23:06 (6:20/mi), finishing more than two minutes clear of the field.
• Andres Leung ran the 58th-fastest men's split on the 3.1M→6.9M segment to claim 2nd in 1:25:19 (6:30/mi) — just over two minutes back.
• Finnegan Mcgrath, the youngest on the podium at 18, crossed 3rd in 1:31:44 — more than six minutes behind Leung.
• Hugo Sanchez faded steadily through the race, dropping from 469th among men at the first checkpoint to 716th by the finish, wrapping up in 2:31:07.

Cold, wet, and blustery at 40°F with light rain, the 2024 Napa Valley Half Marathon served up a tough morning — and David Walton made it look the least tough. The 19-year-old from Corona del Mar ran a composed 6:20/mi to win the M18-20 field in 1:23:06, building a margin that his rivals never seriously threatened. His closing leg was sharp enough to rank 46th among all men on the 6.9M-to-Finish stretch — a strong finish under difficult conditions.

Andres Leung of Stockton was the clear runner-up, clocking 1:25:19 at a 6:30/mi clip. His middle segment — 3.1M to 6.9M — was his strongest relative to the field, posting the 58th-fastest men's split on that stretch, and he held his position well enough to finish 2:13 behind Walton. Finnegan Mcgrath, the 18-year-old local from Napa, rounded out the top three in 1:31:44, running a 6:60/mi average and posting the 101st-fastest men's split on that same middle segment — a solid effort that put him more than six minutes clear of 4th.

The back half of the field told a different story. Aaron Ballines finished 4th in 2:18:21 (10:33/mi), more than 46 minutes behind Walton but holding a relatively steady position through the men's field across all three segments. Sanchez, the other 18-year-old in the group, had the toughest day — sitting 469th among men through the first checkpoint before sliding to 716th by the finish, completing his 13.1 miles in 2:31:07 at 11:32/mi. Five young men, one rainy Sunday in Napa, and a clear winner from the opening miles.