Justyn Knight Wins First NCAA Track Title With Super Kick In Tonight's 5K
Justyn Knight Wins First NCAA Track Title With Super Kick In Tonight's 5K
Justyn Knight of Syracuse won the NCAA 5K title, his first national crown on the track.
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS (09-March) -- Justyn Knight of Syracuse won his first NCAA title on the track tonight in a slow, tactical 5K, a race in which he positioned himself perfectly over the last half mile and closed in 57.13 to seal the win while gesturing to the crowd.
His final time was 14:14.47. Vincent Kiprop of Alabama was second in 14:15.01 and Hassan Abdi of Oklahoma State was third in 14:15.38. Early leader Mike Tate of Southern Utah placed fourth in 14:15.67.
Watch highlights from the race below:
The opening pace was a pedestrian 4:42 for the 1600m, led by Tate and Rory Linkletter of BYU. The pace continued to dawdle through 3200m, as Colorado State's Grant Fischer brought them through in 9:32. Thereafter, though, Kiprop, Knight and Lawrence Kipkoech of Campbell ratcheted down the pace to 31 and 32 seconds per lap until Knight dropped the field with ease over the final 400m.
Post-race interview with Justyn Knight:
