Alabama
NCAA East Preliminaries
Victor Kiprop, Dennis Kipruto Punch Alabama’s First Tickets to Nationals on Opening Day of East Prelims
5/22/2024 10:58:00 PM | Track & Field, Cross Country
The Crimson Tide’s 10,000-meter distance duo claimed their place in Eugene, Ore., as Kiprop broke the facility record and Kipruto finished 10th
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Distance duo Victor Kiprop (first) and Dennis Kipruto (10th) closed the opening day of the NCAA East Prelims by becoming the first two Alabama track and field student-athletes to qualify for the NCAA Championships.
Reigning Southeastern Conference champion Kiprop ran away from the 10,000-meter field, setting a facility record (29:06.56) and becoming the Tide's first Nationals qualifier. The Iten, Kenya, native remained in striking distance until the final 10 laps where he took the lead and never looked back. Kipruto, meanwhile, hovered in the top-12 threshold until ultimately finishing 10th behind a 29:21.45 performance.
Earlier, in the track preliminary events, eight Crimson Tide student-athletes, spanned across four consecutive events, successfully advanced to the regional final. A trio of 400-meter runners became Alabama's first athletes to advance to Friday. Khaleb McRae (45.70) and Hasani Barr (46.43) went one-two, respectively, in the event's opening heat before Samuel Ogazi (46.24) tallied a second-place finish in the fourth heat to position the Tide with three Nationals-ticket-punching opportunities on Friday.
Oussama El Bouchayby's 1:46.94 performance was the fastest time across all six 800-meter heats before yet another trio of Tide runners earned an automatic-qualifying spot, this time in the 400-meter hurdles. Reigning national champion Chris Robinson (49.85) clocked the fastest time in the East region as reigning national runner-up Corde Long (50.67) posted an impressive heat-winning performance of his own, and Clayton Elder (51.20) rounded out the successful event with a third-place finish in the second heat.
Tarsis Orogot became the Crimson Tide's final athlete to advance out of the opening preliminary round, clocking 20.12 to earn the second-fastest time across all 200-meter heats.
Barr, El Bouchayby, Elder, Long, McRae, Ogazi, Orogot and Robinson will have to finish in the top 12 of their respective events on Friday to punch their ticket to the NCAA Championships, held in Eugene, Ore.
Crimson Tide Top Finishes
- Khaleb McRae won the opening heat of the 400m behind a 45.70 performance, as teammate Hasani Barr followed McRae for the heat's second-place finish (46.43)
- In the fourth heat of the 400m, Samuel Ogazi clocked 46.24 to take second, giving Alabama three opportunities to advance to Nationals in that event alone
- Oussama El Bouchayby claimed the fastest time across all 800-meter heats (1:46.94) to advance to the final round on Friday with a trip to Eugene on the line
- Chris Robinson earned the fastest East Region time in the 400-meter hurdles (49.85) as the reigning national champion inches closer to a 2024 National Championship advancement
- Joining Robinson, reigning national runner-up Corde Long (50.67) and Clayton Elder (51.20) moved on to Friday behind a first-place and third-place finish in their respective heats
- Tarsis Orogot propelled to Friday after clocking the second-fastest time across all 200-meter heats at 20.12
- Victor Kiprop (29:06.56) and Dennis Kipruto (29:21.45) concluded the opening night by clinching their ticket to the National Championships via a pair of top-10 performances in the 10,000-meter run
- Kiprop's time broke the facility record en route to his first-place finish in the event as Kipruto finished 10th
- Also competing on Wednesday were hammer thrower Ruben Banks, long jumper Julian Collins and pole vaulter Louis Martinez
- Despite sitting in third at the conclusion of their respective flights, both Banks (15th | 63.68m | 208-11) and Collins (13th | 7.50m | 24-7.25) ultimately landed just outside the top-12 threshold that would advance to the National Championships
- Martinez (24th | 5.22m | 17-1.50) finished in the top 25 of the preliminary, pole vault event
East Prelims: UA Women Preview
- Alabama returns to Kentucky's Outdoor Track and Field Complex Thursday for the beginning of the women's competition. Preliminary track events will occur Thursday with event finals taking place Saturday.
- The second day of the East Prelims will start with the women's hammer at 9 a.m. CT as Chandler Hayden looks to clinch her spot at Nationals
- The Crimson Tide will compete in seven total events on Thursday, five field events and two track events
- Six UA athletes can punch their National Championship ticket in their respective field events (Hayden – hammer; Aspen Arrowsmith – javelin; Miracle Ailes and Caelyn Harris – long jump; Victoria Faber – pole vault; Amani Heaven – shot put) as well as two athletes in the 10,000-meter run (Hilda Olemomoi and Brenda Tuwei)
- Na'Taja Ballard and Ariike Elijah will have ticket-clinching opportunities on Saturday, upon advancing in the 200-meter dash
- Top-15 nationally ranked UA women's events include:
- Hilda Olemomoi – No. 1, 5,000m and No. 2, 10,000m | Doris Lemngole – No. 1, steeplechase and No. 10, 5,000m
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Players Mentioned
