Mercyline Kirwa Closes in 61 Seconds to Claim the NCAA 10,000m Title

Kirwa's Kick Decides It

With a lap to run at Hayward Field, Mercyline Kirwa sat fifth, more than a second adrift and seemingly out of the argument. Then she began to move. Iowa State's Kirwa closed her final 400 metres in 61.84 seconds, sweeping from fifth to first over the last 200 to win the NCAA 10,000m title in 31:54.88.

The race had been built as a coronation for others. After a slow opening 1600 of 5:27, BYU freshman Jane Hedengren, holder of a collegiate record of 30:46.80, took the lead just before halfway and kept the pace honest with 76- and 77-second laps. It was not enough to break the field. With 800 metres left, seven women remained in the lead pack. Hedengren pressed harder, running the penultimate lap in 71.22, and only defending champion Pamela Kosgei of New Mexico stayed with her. Behind them, Kirwa was closing down the backstraight.

Kosgei attacked with 200 to go, and when Hedengren could not respond, a repeat title looked possible. Instead Kirwa answered. She matched the move, came over the top with 150 metres left, and streaked away from Kosgei down the home straight. The margins told the story of the finish: Kosgei took second in 31:56.49, Hedengren third in 31:57.94. Kirwa's teammate Betty Kipkore ran a personal best of 31:59.72 for fourth.

A Late Arrival

Kirwa is not the usual freshman. She is 26, competing in her first collegiate season, and the American track scene barely knew her. She ran fifth at Nuttycombe and fifth at Big 12s in cross country but missed NCAA XC with a knee injury, and indoors she clocked 15:09 for 5,000m yet finished only 14th at nationals, nearly a minute behind Hedengren. Her outdoor season's best of 31:51 was more than a minute off Hedengren's record.

One number hinted at what was coming. Kirwa closed the Big 12 title in 60.23 for her last lap on 14 May, a serious display of speed even in a slow race won in 34:02. In Eugene she paired that finish with strength, running close to a personal best and still finding a 61.84 last lap. Hedengren, gracious in defeat, reflected on her tactics afterwards.

"In hindsight, maybe I should have taken it from the gun and made it a little bit more steady and fast," Hedengren said.

The title carries weight for her programme too. Kirwa became the third woman in Iowa State history to win the event, and the first since Betsy Saina in 2013. Thirteen years on, on the last lap in Oregon, the Cyclones had their champion again.