Lagat places third, Kurgat finishes fifth at the NCAA Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Mikinna Kerns/Iowa State Daily
Iowa State’s Festus Lagat runs the first leg of the men’s distance medley during the last day of the Drake Relays in Des Moines on April 28, 2018. Lagat and the Cyclones finished with a time of 9:42.95.
June 7, 2019
Two Cyclones competed in the NCAA Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Austin, Texas, on Friday. Junior Festus Lagat finished in third place in the 800-meter run, and junior Edwin Kurgat finished in fifth place in the 5,000-meter run (12 laps).
Lagat started off slow as he was in the last place out of eight for the first half of the race. However, Lagat kicked it into to gear and rallied to finish in third place with a time of 1.45.05 which is his personal best and a school record.
By finishing fifth, Lagat earned a First Team All-American honor and earned six team points for Iowa State.
Finishing ahead of Lagat was junior Devin Dixon of Texas A&M, who placed second with a time of 1.44.48 and junior Bryce Hoppel of Kansas, who won the 800-meter run with a time of 1.44.41.
Just like Lagat, Kurgat started off the race in the back of the pack battling to stay out of last place. However, Kurgat battled his way back and found himself battling for a top five finish with four laps to go.
Kurgat finished in fifth place out of 24 runners and ran a 14.08.26 in the 5,000-meter run and earned four team points.
By finishing fifth place in the 5,000-meter run, Kurgat earned a First Team All-American honor.
Senior Morgan McDonald of Wisconsin took home the Championship with a time of 14.06.01.
As a team, Iowa State finished tied-for 28th place out of 123 teams with a total of ten team points.
