THE PATH TO VICTORY for Habtom Samuel in the 10,000 was a puzzling one, at least to everyone but the winner himself.
The New Mexico junior pressed the pace hard from the gun and led most of the race through 8000m. He was gradually turning the screws on his opponents, lowering the pace from 68 seconds per lap down to the 62–64 range. He had only Louisville frosh Elsingi Kipruto and Arkansas junior Ernest Cheruiyot hanging on.
But then, right when you think he’d try to burn off those two, he moved almost into lane 2 and inexplicably slowed to a couple of 71s. Suddenly, Oklahoma State’s Denis Kipngetich and Alabama’s Denis Lokira were back in the mix. Lokira took the lead and Samuel fell back to 5th.
As it turned out, there was an explanation.
“I had a little stitch,” Samuel said. “So I didn’t want to run until I died. So, I decided to just, plan B, you know, instead of running until I died… I just said, ‘OK, let me recover and just run hard the last 800.’”
The stitch never fully subsided, but plan B worked. He sped up to 66.07 for lap 23 and then brought the heat on 24 with a 58.82. Only Kipruto was up to the challenge as the other three withered.
Kipruto did more than hang on. At 250, he made his bid for glory and stormed into the lead. Samuel let him have it, temporarily.
“I knew he was coming to my shoulder, and I was happy at that moment. I just let him go and followed him very close and just ran hard the last 120.”
Plan C, if you will. Samuel opened up his stride and charged ahead. A grimace appeared on Kipruto’s face and it was clear he would have no answer.
Samuel closed in 56.81 to win in 27:51.31. His last 800 was clocked at 1:55.62. Kipruto faded to 59.36 for a 27:54.04. Cheruiyot held steady for 3rd in 27:58.62.
This title marked a return to the top for Samuel, who won in ’24 but came 2nd to teammate Ishmael Kipkurui last year. It also completes a triple crown of sorts, as he won the cross country title in the fall and the indoor 5000 in the winter. On Friday, he’ll try to make it a quartet by contesting the 5000.
MEN’S 10,000 RESULTS
(June 10)
1. *Habtom Samuel’ (NM-Eri) 27:51.31 (56.81, 1:55.62, 4:13.01)
(64.42, 68.85 [2:13.27], 68.77 [3:22.04], 68.02 [4:30.06], 67.89 [5:37.95], 68.67 [6:46.62], 67.51 [7:54.13], 71.01 [9:05.14], 73.25 [10:18.39], 76.69 [11:35.08], 67.37 [12:42.45], 68.13 [13:50.58], 66.61 [14:57.19], 65.89 [16:03.08], 65.12 [17:08.20], 64.63 [18:12.83], 63.69 [19:16.52], 63.51 [20:20.03], 62.74 [21:22.77], 64.52 [22:27.29], 71.01 [23:38.30], 71.32 [24:49.62], 66.07 [25:55.69], 58.81 [26:54.50], 56.81);
2. ***Elsingi Kipruto’ (Louis-Ken) 27:54.04 (59.36, 1:58.15, 4:16.26);
3. *Ernest Cheruiyot’ (Ar-Ken) 27:58.62 (62.35, 2:02.65, 4:20.69);
4. *Denis Kipngetich’ (OkSt-Ken) 28:02.24; 5. **Dismus Lokira’ (Al-Ken) 28:08.49; 6. **Evans Kurui’ (WaSt-Ken) 28:10.73; 7. ***Kelvin Cheruiyot’ (Fl-Ken) 28:13.36; 8. *Dennis Kipruto’ (Al-Ken) 28:16.31; 9. Miguel Baidal’ (EnKy-Spa) 28:17.99; 10. *William Zegarski (Butler) 28:19.38; 11. ***Stephen Maroro’ (Ks-Ken) 28:20.71;
12. *Charlie Ortmans (Harv) 28:21.97; 13. *Adisu Guadia’ (OkSt-Isr) 28:22.86; 14. *Evan Jenkins (Wa) 28:30.16; 15. **Robin Bera’ (IaSt-Ken) 28:32.22; 16. Tomer Tarragano’ (NC-GB) 28:34.74; 17. Sanele Masondo’ (IaSt-SA) 28:35.91; 18. Hudson Hurst (Al) 28:41.87;
19. *Will Anthony’ (Va-NZ) 28:43.34; 20. ***Victor Kipkoech’ (TxT-Ken) 28:43.54; 21. **Zouhair Redouane’ (Tn-Mor) 28:47.20; 22. **Jacob Nenow (Prin) 28:50.76; 23. Evan Burke’ (Or-Can) 29:14.90; 24. *Evans Kiplagat’ (NM-Ken) 29:25.06.
