Tuesday, November 25, 1997
Bruin wins U.S. cross country title
KEFLEZGHI: Keflezighi’s victory over tough men’s field is
personal, university first
By Donald Morrison
Daily Bruin Contributor
UCLA men’s cross country runner Mebrahtom Keflezighi did not
want to travel across the country to the NCAA championships in
Greenville, S.C., and return empty-handed.
After Monday’s race, Keflezighi won’t have to worry about
returning home empty-handed, as he won his first-ever national
cross country title in record-setting fashion as he set the Furman
University 10,000 meter course record.
Keflezighi crossed the line in 28:54, breaking the old course
record (29 minutes flat) set by Hans Koeleman of Clemson in 1981.
Stanford wrapped up its second-straight team title by three points
over Arkansas, 53-56.
Not only did Keflezighi win his first-ever cross country
national title, he became the first individual in school history to
win a cross country national championship.
"It was a great and powerful performance," UCLA Coach Bob Larsen
said. "His classic, smooth, relaxed style never broke down. He
never tightened up. Coaches were saying this was one of the best
men’s fields ever."
Keflezighi won the race by seven seconds over a strong men’s
field. Kevin Sullivan of Michigan, a runner with World Class 1500
meter racing experience, finished second in 29:01.
Bernard Lagat of Washington State, the defending Pac-10
champion, finished in a surprising third place.
The two heavy favorites, Adam Goucher of Colorado and Ryan
Wilson of Arkansas, placed fourth and fifth, respectively. Goucher,
who has never lost to Keflezighi in a cross country race, finished
in 29:10. Wilson, who was previously unbeaten this year, finished
in 29:13.
"Wilson took the lead fast," Keflezighi said. "I was feeling
good and was just trying to keep the pace. I knew I needed to keep
up in front."
Earlier in the week, Keflezighi suggested that such a flat
course combined with a slow pace would favor the 1500 meter
specialists including Lagat, Sullivan and Wilson.
The race appeared as if it would favor the 1500 meter runners.
Lagat and Wilson jumped out in front early in the race, with
Keflezighi not too far behind. The leaders crossed the mile mark
with a fast-paced time of 4:30. As the race progressed, Keflezighi
and Lagat pulled away from Wilson.
However, it wasn’t until about a mile and a quarter to go that
Keflezighi pulled away from Lagat and wrapped up a national
title.
"I knew at the last mile that I had won the championship. I
still didn’t know about Goucher, but I knew I needed to keep the
pace."
Keflezighi kept his pace and garnered his fourth individual
national title this year. Earlier in the year, Keflezighi won the
NCAA indoor 5,000 meter title, and became the first person since Ed
Eyestone of Brigham Young University in 1985 to win the 5,000 and
10,000 meter national outdoor titles in the same season.
In his previous three trips to the cross country championships,
Keflezighi could manage no better than a ninth-place finish his
sophomore year in 1995. Last year, Keflezighi placed tenth.
Before the race and the season started, Keflezighi said he was
determined to end his season on a high note. He also said he wanted
to give everything he had in the championship race to accomplish
all the goals he set earlier in the year.
"We knew the goal for this one was to be on top," Keflezighi
said. "I got out the way I wanted. I had a great start. I guess it
hasn’t hit me."
AARON TOUT/Daily Bruin
Mebrahtom Keflezighi, shown here in a race earlier this season,
broke the 10,000 meter course record Monday.