2017 DI NCAA Indoor ChampionshipsMar 11, 2017 by Meg Bellino
Karissa Schweizer Wins NCAA Indoor 5000m Crown In 15:19
Karissa Schweizer Wins NCAA Indoor 5000m Crown In 15:19
Karissa Schweizer can now call herself a two-time NCAA champion. The Missouri junior won her first-ever track title by capturing the 5000m in 15:19.14 at the NCAA Indoor Championships in College Station, Texas, on Friday night.
Karissa Schweizer can now call herself a two-time NCAA champion.
The Missouri junior won her first-ever track title by capturing the 5000m in 15:19.14 at the NCAA Indoor Championships in College Station, Texas, on Friday night with a quick 400m split of 65 seconds, a move that broke Erin Finn and Anna Rohrer. Finn of Michigan was second in 15:27.36 and Rohrer of Notre Dame third in 15:29.83, the exact same order as the 2016 NCAA XC Championships.
The race played out similarly to the fall championship in Terre Haute, Indiana, in which Rohrer and Finn battled early and Schwiezer came from behind with the winning kick. This go-round, though, the 200m banked track at Texas A&M presented a bit of a space problem, as Finn -- running in second place sandwiched between Rohrer and Schweizer -- appeared to get clipped multiple times during the race and took at least one step outside of the rail.
Rohrer split 4:53.35 through 1600m, with most of the field just a few seconds back. By 3200m, Rohrer and Finn split 9:50. Schweizer lurked behind in 9:51, and everyone else was eight seconds back. At 400m to go, the defending cross country champion knew it was time to make her move.
"I knew the girls I was racing against were gonna make it an honest race," Schweizer said. "I was just gonna hang in there and see what I can do. I hadn't run a 5K in awhile, mostly just 3Ks and miles. With 400m to go, I knew I was going to make a move whether I felt good or not."
When asked about clipping Finn, she said, "I was probably a little too close, I have a really long stride. I'm not good at running behind people."
Schweizer's 15:19.14 is a nearly 20-second PB. She ran a lifetime best of 15:37.4 earlier this season, and just a year ago, her best was 15:58.09. Her time makes Schweizer the No. 5 performer in NCAA history. Rohrer's hot early pace made this final the fastest NCAA Indoor Championship 5K in history -- no other race has produced three sub-15:30 marks.
Schweizer will race the 3K on Saturday.
Watch the Women's Championships 5K below:
The Missouri junior won her first-ever track title by capturing the 5000m in 15:19.14 at the NCAA Indoor Championships in College Station, Texas, on Friday night with a quick 400m split of 65 seconds, a move that broke Erin Finn and Anna Rohrer. Finn of Michigan was second in 15:27.36 and Rohrer of Notre Dame third in 15:29.83, the exact same order as the 2016 NCAA XC Championships.
The race played out similarly to the fall championship in Terre Haute, Indiana, in which Rohrer and Finn battled early and Schwiezer came from behind with the winning kick. This go-round, though, the 200m banked track at Texas A&M presented a bit of a space problem, as Finn -- running in second place sandwiched between Rohrer and Schweizer -- appeared to get clipped multiple times during the race and took at least one step outside of the rail.
Rohrer split 4:53.35 through 1600m, with most of the field just a few seconds back. By 3200m, Rohrer and Finn split 9:50. Schweizer lurked behind in 9:51, and everyone else was eight seconds back. At 400m to go, the defending cross country champion knew it was time to make her move.
"I knew the girls I was racing against were gonna make it an honest race," Schweizer said. "I was just gonna hang in there and see what I can do. I hadn't run a 5K in awhile, mostly just 3Ks and miles. With 400m to go, I knew I was going to make a move whether I felt good or not."
When asked about clipping Finn, she said, "I was probably a little too close, I have a really long stride. I'm not good at running behind people."
Schweizer's 15:19.14 is a nearly 20-second PB. She ran a lifetime best of 15:37.4 earlier this season, and just a year ago, her best was 15:58.09. Her time makes Schweizer the No. 5 performer in NCAA history. Rohrer's hot early pace made this final the fastest NCAA Indoor Championship 5K in history -- no other race has produced three sub-15:30 marks.
Schweizer will race the 3K on Saturday.
Watch the Women's Championships 5K below: