THE EAGERLY AWAITED clash between BYU’s superfrosh Jane Hedengren and New Mexico’s Pamela Kosgei came to an explosive conclusion in the twenty-fifth lap — but with a result neither of them expected.
Off a modest-for-them pace of 75- to 78-second laps, Hedengren led Kosgei, with three other runners in tow. With 300 left, Hedengren made her move, but couldn’t shake Kosgei. Probably unnoticed by most in the crowd, another runner also covered the move: Iowa State frosh Mercyline Kirwa.
Kosgei threw down the gauntlet at 200, and Hedengren had no response. But Kirwa did. Kirwa made her own move at 150, and Kosgei suddenly found herself in the same situation as Hedengren. They could only watch as Kirwa smoked the straight and pulled away to a 31:54.88 victory. Kosgei finished in 31:56.49, followed by Hedengren at 31:57.94. Kirwa covered her stunning last lap in 61.83.
It was truly a “Look at Mills, look at Mills!” moment.
To say Kirwa came out of nowhere applied not only to the race but her career. Waiting for the post-race interview, journalists combed the internet for information.
The 26-year-old frosh hails from Baringo, Kenya. Her PR is 31:51.89 from the Bryan Clay Invitational in April.
She wasn’t completely unknown — she won the Big 12 title, but in an unremarkable 34:02.42 (a race Hedengren skipped), and the Big 12 5000 in 15:51.88 (also not against Hedengren). There was little in her résumé to suggest she could upset Hedengren, the Collegiate Record holder, and Kosgei, the meet record holder and defending champ.
“No, I didn’t know I could beat them today,” the soft-spoken Kirwa said. “I just maintained the pace, and I made it.” She said the modest pace “was just good for me.”
Hedengren wouldn’t have been blamed if she had skipped the media tent, but she stoically made an appearance to explain why she didn’t hammer the pace like normal.
“The strategy going in was pretty tentative,” she said. “I wanted to not take it from the very start and see how it played out.” No one keeps stats on how long Hedengren has waited to take the lead, but this was surely the record. North Dakota senior Jadyn Keeler led at 4400 before Hedengren finally took the reins.
“At that point I decided to take it and kind of keep the tempo steady and toward the end ratchet it down a little more and see who could hang,” she said. “In hindsight, maybe I should have taken it from the gun and made it a little bit more steady and fast, especially coming through that first mile… but you learn.”
WOMEN’S 10,000 RESULTS
(June 11)
1. ***Mercyline Kirwa’ (IaSt-Ken) 31:54.88 (61.83, 2:13.27, 4:45.31)
(85.40, 87.68 [2:53.08], 82.49 [4:15.57], 76.68 [5:32.25], 76.09 [6:48.34], 72.79 [8:01.13], 75.58 [9:16.71], 74.53 [10:31.24], 75.89 [11:47.13], 76.26 [13:03.39], 77.45 [14:20.84], 78.62 [15:39.46], 76.53 [16:55.99], 77.19 [18:13.18], 78.18 [19:31.36], 77.45 [20:48.81], 76.48 [22:05.29], 76.54 [23:21.83], 76.63 [24:38.46], 75.30 [25:53.76], 75.81 [27:09.57], 76.49 [28:26.06], 75.55 [29:41.61], 71.44 [30:53.05], 61.83);
2. **Pamela Kosgei’ (NM-Ken) 31:56.49 (64.37, 2:15.60, 4:47.69);
3. ***Jane Hedengren (BYU) 31:57.94) (65.99, 2:17.20, 4:49.33);
4. ***Betty Kipkore’ (IaSt-Ken) 31:59.72 PR;
5. **Joy Naukot’ (WV-Ken) 32:01.51;
6. Jadyn Keeler’ (ND-Can) 32:04.97;
7. ***Rylee Blade (FlSt) 32:08.83 AJR (old AJR 32:20.60 Ruth White [NH] ’25);
8. Jenna Hutchins (BYU) 32:16.16;
9. Hilda Olemomoi’ (Fl-Ken) 32:21.62; 10. ***Domtila Cheruto’ (Ok-Ken) 32:25.66; 11. Rosina Machu (Gonz) 32:26.18; 12. ***Mercy Jebitok’ (Akr-Ken) 32:26.81; 13. **Diana Cherotich’ (Or-Ken) 32:29.28; 14. ***Abigael Chemnagei’ (LSU-Ken) 32:36.65; 15. *Ruth Kimeli’ (Bay-Ken) 32:44.13; 16. ***Brighter Jepchumba’ (EnKy-Ken) 32:48.21; 17. **Amaya Aramini (NDm) 32:49.01; 18. ***Caren Kiplagat’ (Al-Ken) 33:01.41; 19. *Brooke Wilson (WF) 33:05.05; 20. Chloe Thomas’ (Wa-Can) 33:05.34; 21. *Abbey Nechanicky (Co) 33:10.06; 22. **Ruth White (NH) 33:11.62; 23. Lily Murphy (Penn) 33:13.58; 24. *Angelina Perez (WF) 33:45.96.
