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UNM distance runners have field day in Boston, highlighted by Pamela Kosgei clocking fourth fastest collegiate 5,000m
UNM freshman Judy Rono, shown here competing in the Sharon Danville- Colyear Season Opener in December, ran the second-fastest 1,500-meter race in school history on Saturday in Azusa, California.
New Mexico freshman Pamela Kosgei continues to impress in her first season competing in the NCAA.
Kosgei opened her first indoor season by running the fastest indoor 5,000 meters in Lobo track program history at the Sharon Danville-Colyear Season Opener Saturday at Boston University. She shattered the record with a 15:00.36 performance that nearly guarantees her a spot at the NCAA Indoor Championships in March. The previous record of 15:14.71 was set five years earlier, to the day, by Weini Kelati on the same track.
Kosgei not only set a program and Mountain West record, she also ran the fourth fastest 5,000m in collegiate history, though she finished third — behind Alabama’s Doris Lemngole (14:52.84) and Florida’s Hilda Olemomoi (14:52.84), who ran the first and third fastest 5,000m in history.
Lemngole and Kosgei finished 1-2 in the NCAA Cross Country Championships two weeks ago in Madison, Wisconsin.
The New Mexico distance crew had a field day in Boston, recording three new top 10 program entries and seven new personal bests.
In addition to Kosgei cracking the all-time top 10 in her indoor debut, freshmen Collins Kiprotich ran the eighth-fastest indoor 3,000m in program history (7:56.26) and Vincent Chirchir ran the ninth-fastest 5,000m (13:48.73).
Still another freshman, Judy Rono, in her first collegiate race, clocked a 4:45.28 in the mile in the second-fastest heat of the day, which was within 8 seconds of cracking the UNM all-time top 10 in the event.
Also setting personal bests on the day were sophomore Mercy Kirarei (9:12.46, 28th overall in the women’s 3,000m), senior Sophia McDonnell (9:28.77, 61st overall in the women’s 3,000m), sophomore Natalie Bitetti (16:06.21, 51st in the women’s 5,000m) and freshman Christina Nisoli (57th, 16:13.48 in the women’s 5,000m).
UNM’s sensational sophomore Habtom Samuel, who was an All-American in the men’s indoor 3,000m and 5,000m as a freshman, did not compete in Boston. Samuel, who finished second in the NCAA Cross Country Championships in Wisconsin two weeks ago, suffered a foot injury during the race.
