THE 10,000 MAY NOT HAVE BEEN a blockbuster, but the finish turned into a barnburner for a pair of Lobos who have done nothing but win.
New Mexico’s defending champ Habtom Samuel and his CR-setting teammate Ishmael Kipkurui entered the meet as the unquestioned favorites, with a slew of contenders breathing down their necks, wanting the crown.
After a decent 67.7 opener, a dawdle broke out with Notre Dame’s Ethan Coleman leading the field through progressively slower laps before Furman’s Dylan Schubert took the reins and passed 3200 in 9:59.75.
BYU’s Joey Nokes joined Schubert at the front and led through 5K in 15:21. The race began to take shape after Schubert threw in a 68.2, then 66.7 to wake the field up.
After 6K, Tulane’s Bernard Cheruiyot stepped up and made it more interesting. With 9 laps remaining, he slightly stretched the field with a 65.8, followed by Alabama Dennis Kipruto, Kipkurui, Samuel, Washington State’s Evans Kurui, Texas Tech’s Ernest Cheruiyot, Schubert and Northern Arizona’s Drew Bosley.
With 4 laps to go Bosley’s teammate David Mullarkey joined the fray and briefly took the lead with 3½ left before Samuel decided it was time. He was followed by Ernest Cheruiyot, Mullarkey, Kipkurui, Kurui, Navy’s Murphy Smith and a dozen others still in contention.
With 2 laps left, Alabama frosh Dismus Lokira surged to the front, but with 600 to go it was Tech’s Cheruiyot who made his move, with Kurui, Lokira, Kipkurui, Schubert and Samuel in tow.
At the bell Cheruiyot hit the gas, as did Kurui, Kipkurui, Schubert and Samuel. With 300 to go Kipkurui blew by Cheruiyot with Samuel not far behind.
As he entered the home straight, Kipkurui had a 10m gap on Samuel and 13 on Cheruiyot.
He would cross in 29:07.70, after a 53.38 final circuit (final 1600, 4:08.6), followed by Samuel (29:08.73), Cheruiyot (29:10.37) and Iowa State’s Rodgers Kiplimo (29:10.89).
Kipkurui acknowledged, “The race was not easy because everyone was crazy, but I thank God for the win.”
When asked if he was prepared for the final laps, he explained, “I can say this, when we are training with Habtom, when we come to the 200, when doing something like 400s or 800s, when we are at 200, we push, so that we have that kick.”
Runner-up Samuel had nothing but praise for Kipkurui saying, “I’m happy Ishmael, my teammate, won the race. I’m the defending champion, I’m trying my best to win today again. We work together, we train together, it’s awesome racing together as my teammate.”
Surmising their frantic finish Samuel said, “The strategy was to push the last 2K and not to wait to the last K, but I didn’t feel really good today. As long as we won 1 and 2 Lobos, it’s fine.”
MEN’S 10,000 RESULTS
FINAL (June 11)
1. ***Ishmael Kipkurui’ (NM-Ken) 29:07.70 (69.29, 73.57 [2:22.86], 74.64 [3:37.50], 76.31 [4:53.81], 77.15 [6:10.96], 77.33 [7:28.29], 77.57 [8:45.86], 74.75 [10:00.61], 70.70 [11:11.31], 71.78 [12:23.09], 73.53 [13:36.62], 70.85 [14:47.47], 68.70 [15:56.17], 66.81 [17:02.98], 67.42 [18:10.40], 70.28 [19:20.68], 65.09 [20:25.77], 68.24 [21:34.01], 66.66 [22:40.67], 68.46 [23:49.13], 69.02 [24:58.15], 67.38 [26:05.53], 65.68 [27:11.21], 63.12 [28:14.33], 53.37) (53.37, 1:56.49, 3:02.17, 4:09.55);
2. **Habtom Samuel’ (NM-Eri) 29:08.73 (54.08, 1:57.66, 3:03.53, 4:10.62);
3. **Ernest Cheruiyot’ (TxT-Ken) 29:10.37 (56.16, 1:59.39, 3:04.94, 4:12.51);
4. *Rodgers Kiplimo’ (IaSt-Ken) 29:10.89 (55.56, 1:59.08, 3:04.07, 4:11.97);
5. **Evans Kurui’ (WaSt-Ken) 29:10.91 (56.75, 1:59.78, 3:05.33, 4:12.89);
6. David Mullarkey’ (NnAz-GB) 29:11.05 (56.28, 1:59.80, 3:05.71, 4:13.31);
7. Dylan Schubert (Furm) 29:11.18 (56.68, 1:59.87, 3:05.21, 4:12.81);
8. *Creed Thompson (BYU) 29:11.44(55.89, 1:59.10, 3:05.05, 4:12.64);
9. **Denis Kipngetich’ (OkSt-Ken) 29:11.50 (56.57, 1:59.98, 3:05.70, 4:13.17);
;10. Ben Rosa (Harv) 29:12.19(57.06, 2:00.61, 3:06.07, 4:13.71);
11. ***Dismus Lokira’ (Al-Ken) 29:13.51(58.42, 2:02.68, 3:06.47, 4:14.52);
12. Cole Sprout (Stan) 29:18.13; 13. Murphy Smith (Navy) 29:18.39; 14. Joey Nokes (BYU) 29:19.76; 15. *Ethan Coleman (NDm) 29:22.01; 16. **William Zegarski (Butler) 29:22.91; 17. Dylan Throop (Penn) 29:24.03; 18. ***Bernard Cheruiyot’ (Tul-Ken) 29:24.80; 19. **Timothy Chesondin’ (Ar-Ken) 29:26.37; 20. Drew Bosley (NnAz) 29:28.52; 21. Sam Lawler (Syr) 29:31.40; 22. Victor Kiprop’ (Al-Ken) 29:31.44; 23. **Shane Brosnan’ (Harv-Ire) 29:33.81;… dnf—**Dennis Kipruto’ (Al-Ken).
