UNM's Kiprotich and Kosgei run two of the fastest miles ever, when adjusted for altitude

Two Lobos kicked off their 2025 in a big, big way.

UNM’s Collins Kiprotich and Pamela Kosgei each set new program and collegiate facility records Saturday in the men’s and women’s mile, respectively, at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Invitational inside Albuquerque Convention Center.

Kiprotich won the men’s race with a blazing 3:58.60 while Kosgei finished in 4:36.70 to walk away with her second program record in as many races. When adjusted for altitude, both Kiprotich (3:53.40) and Kosgei’s (4:30.67) times would represent some of the fastest collegiate miles ever run.

Kiprotich’s altitude-adjusted time stands as the third-best in the country this year and represents the 13th-fastest collegiate run all-time. Kosgei’s elevation-modified mark is second-best in the country this season, landing just outside the all-time top 25.

Notably, Kiprotich broke fellow UNM runner Habtom Samuel’s year-old indoor program record of 3:59.12 while racing against him; the latter finished in third place Saturday with a 3:59.59 mile. Waleed Suliman, a former Ole Miss runner racing on behalf of Brooks Beast Track Club, placed second at 3:58.65.

In breaking away from the field, Kosgei also topped former UNM great Weini Kelati’s five-year-old program record of 4:37.75. Lobos Judy Rono (4:46.65) and Nicola Jansen (4:47.25) placed second and third, respectively; eight of the top ten finishers in the women’s mile were UNM runners.

Kiprotich and Kosgei weren’t the only runners to set a new program-best Saturday: Brodie Young ran a 32.79 in the men’s 300-meter sections, breaking Jevon O’Bryant’s previous UNM record of 33.39. The junior from Glasgow, Scotland’s run stands as one of the 25 fastest times in collegiate history, and the eighth-fastest so far this season.