Tigers End Thrilling Season at 2024 NCAA Division II T&F Championships
EMPORIA, Kansas – East Central University track & field standouts
Aspel Kiprob,
Paul Korir, and
Peter Kipkemboi concluded their 2024 campaign on the biggest stage at the NCAA Division II Track & Field Championships hosted by Emporia State University over the weekend.
Competing among the nations' top athletes, ECU put up a valiant effort in the 3000m Steeple and 5000m race that took place from May 23-25.
2024 NCAA Division II Track & Field Championship Results
"I am proud of these guys," Head Coach Steve Sawyer expressed. "To get here is a mountainous feat and they gave it their all."
On opening day,
Aspel Kiprob and
Paul Korir kicked off the Championships competing in the 3000m Steeple prelims where they battled to compete for a spot in the event's finals scheduled for Friday. Kiprob posted the best time in heat one with a time of 9:02.24 while Korir clocked in at a time of 9:03.47 in heat two to automatically advance to the finals.
On day two, Kiprob and Korir gave it their all one last time this season in the 3000m Steeple. While their efforts were commendable, the Tigers were edged out of a podium finish, with Kiprob clinching seventh place in an impressive time of 8:45.20 to break the ECU school record, while Korir finished strong in 11
th place, crossing the line at 8:58.20.
Notably, for his performance,
Aspel Kiprob became just the second ECU men's track & field student-athlete in program history to earn All-American honors with his top-8 finish, an impressive way to close out his historic junior season.
On the final day of the Championships,
Peter Kipkemboi represented ECU one last time in the 5000m finals for his last race of the season. Despite hanging in with the top runners for most of the race, Kipkemboi eventually fell behind, finishing in a time of 15:07.31 for a 13
th place finish to wrap up the weekend for the Tigers.
The ECU track & field program had a historic year concluding their season at the 2024 NCAA Division II Track & Field Championships and look forward to what they can achieve next year.
