Kipyego captures crown in 10,000M
By: Rhett Kleinschmidt
Updated: August 21, 2007
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Three-time national champion Sally Kipyego has a change of title after the second day of the NCAA Championships in Sacramento, Calif. "Four-time national champion" has become more appropriate as the sophomore Red Raider was crowned the 10000M victor in the night's final event.
The NCAA-record holder in the event ran a time of 32:55.71, finishing ahead of Georgetown's Melissa Grelli who ran a 33:01.56 mark. Kipyego took control of the lead on the 18th of 25 laps and was never passed thereafter. The run is only Kipyego's second time in the event, as her record time of 31:56.72 at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational is her personal best.
She adds the title to her 2006 cross country and 2007 indoor 3000M and 5000M. The sophomore is now the second Texas Tech individual to win the 10000M, as Leigh Daniel was crowned the 1999 champion. Kipyego will be attempting to become only the fifth woman in collegiate history to win both the outdoor 5000M and 10000M Friday as she competes in the 5000M final, and also will be taking her shot at history to become the first woman to win five individual titles in a single year (cross country and indoor and outdoor track included).
Senior Kevin Chelimo ended his Tech career with a 10th-place finish in the men's 10000M. The 2006 cross country and 2007 indoor 5000M All-American ran a time of 29:13.91 and two places out of earning a third All-America honor. The run is Chelimo's and the school's second-fastest mark, sitting behind the Kabarnet, Kenya's top time of 28:21.29 from this year's Stanford Invitational.
In the first round of the men's 400M hurdles, senior Bryan Scott and sophomore Jansen Hyde each qualified for the semifinals to be held on Friday. Scott notched the fastest prelim time after running a 50.31 in the third of five heats. The Lubbock native won his heat by two-tenths of a second, ahead of Andrew Peresta of Hampton who ran the second-best prelim time of 50.51.
In his first NCAA Championships, sophomore Hyde qualified for the finals after running a 14th-best 51.77. After finishing third in the first heat, Hyde moved to the finals after being one of the top six times after the top two of each heat automatically advanced. The time sits as Hyde fourth-best run in the event, having a personal best of 50.67 from the Drake Relays on April 28th.
Zach Glavash's strong run through recent championships and regionals was completed on Thursday in the men's 800M. The senior from Chillicothe, Ill., finished just out of the required top-eight finish in ninth place with a time of 1:49.28. The mark sits as his fifth best during his Tech career. Larry Brooks of UT-San Antonio earned the final spot with a time of 1:49.17.
Glavash finishes his final year as a Red Raider after having earned All-American status during the 2006 indoor season, as he placed eighth at the national meet. He stands as the indoor 800M record holder with a mark of 1:46.80. At this past Big 12 Championships, the senior titled the 800M in his then-fastest outdoor run with a time of 1:47.99.
Friday's NCAA Championships action will begin for Texas Tech with the men's triple jump qualifying round at 1:45 p.m. The 110M hurdles final with Marlon Odom will take place at 5:35 p.m., while the 400M hurdle semifinals will be at 6:40 p.m. The night will end with Irene Kimaiyo and Sally Kipyego in the 5000M final.
(from texastech.com)
