OTC Elite's Ciattei earns first win as pro athlete

Vince Ciattei breaks the tape in 3:58.39 to claim his first professional victory at the Liberty Mile in Pittsburgh. Photo by Liberty Mile

By Curtis Anderson | July 28, 2021

EUGENE, Ore. - Oregon Track Club Elite's Vince Ciattei earned his first victory as a professional athlete on July 23 by winning the 10th annual Fleet Feet Liberty Mile in Pittsburgh. 

Ciattei, a 1,500-meter finalist at the U.S. Olympic Trials at Hayward Field, won the road race with a time of 3:58.39. He also collected a first-place prize of $5,000.  

The 26-year-old Ciattei, a 2018 Virginia Tech graduate, told Michael Love of the Pittsburgh-Tribune Review that he will "cherish this one forever." 

"After last year, barely racing and having no crowds, to being part of something like this, it was something I will never forget," he said. "It was my first win as a professional runner, so I will cherish this one forever." 

Ciattei set his 1,500m personal best of 3:34.57 at the Portland Track Festival on May 29, the sixth-fastest time in the U.S. this season.  

He is scheduled to compete in the Cleveland Guardian Mile on July 31.