In Oregon, USA
After his victory in USA’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championships on Friday, Kenya’s Brian Musau has set his sights on the Kenyan trials for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan slated for September 13-21.
Running for Oklahoma State University, the 19-year-old Musau won the men’s 5,000 metres race becoming the first Kenyan to do so since Edward Cheserek in 2014.
Musau, who is pursuing a Bachelors Degree in Applied Exercise Science, said that his victory in the NCAA has inspired him to aim even higher in his blossoming running career.
He is already thinking of how he can help Kenya regain the world 5,000m title that it last won in 2005 via Benjamin Limo.
Musau ran a well calculated race at the Hayward Field in Oregon, Eugene, to cross the finish line in 13 minutes, 20.59 seconds ahead of Eritrea’s Habtom Samuel from the University of New Mexico who clocked 13:20.89. Marco Langon from Villanova University timed 13:21.17 for third place.
Ishmael Kipkurui, winner of the men’s 10,000m failed in his bid for a double, finishing seventh in 13:25.18 with Robin Kwemoi from Iowa State University placing 11th.
Musau is also the NCAA Indoor men’s 5,000m champion after his victory at the Virginia Beach Sports Center on March 14 in a time of 13:11.34.
“Today’s race was tactical. I got into the race very cautious. I didn't want to lose it on the home stretch because I knew I’m meeting some pretty fast runners who have competed in 1,500m races. These guys are super-fast and I didn’t want to take a risk. That’s why I kicked early and managed to beat them in their own game,” said Musau.
Hopeful of making the Kenyan team
Musau said that he will take part in one more race in the US before flying to Kenya for the national trials.
The men’s 5,000m qualifying mark for the Tokyo World Championships is 13:01.00.
“I’m now confident enough and its high time we combine forces and bring the gold medal that has been missing for 20 years back home. We have good athletes in the 5,000m race in Kenya and it is teamwork that will save us, but first things first. We have to qualify and make the Kenyan team,” Musau said in Eugene.
In the men’s 3,000m steeplechase race, Kenya’s Geoffrey Kirwa, a freshman from Louisville University, bagged a silver medal after timing 8:17.12 in a tight race that was won by home runner James Corrigan of Brigham Young University who timed 8:16.41 with his compatriot Carson Williams sealing the podium positions in 8:19.71.
Joash Ruto from Iowa University, Collins Kiprop (University of Kentucky), Mathew Kosgei (University of New Mexico), Silas Kiptanui (Tulane University) and Victor Kibiego (Texas A&M University) finished in fourth, fifth, sixth, 10th and 11th positions respectively.
Kirwa is pursuing a degree in Sports Administration a field he says he is enjoying studying as it is pretty much the life he leads.
Kirwa started his season with cross country running reaching the national level with his university. He would later compete in indoor events but running twice round a track to record 400m was not his style.
Basking in his second placed finish, Kirwa said he will attend the Kenyan trials as he tries to lay a stake in the national team.
