Hayley Kitching Leads Four Women Under 2 Minutes; Billah Jepkirui Dips Under 4:23 In Mile; Kelvin Cheruiyot Runs 13:15 To Win 5,000

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

Ken Martinez Photos

RESULTS | VIDEOS

SEATTLE -- A trip to the Pacific Northwest paid off for Penn State.

Opting to make the long trek on what Hayley Kitching called “kind of a whim,” the Nittany Lions capitalized in a loaded women’s 800-meter race at the University of Washington Husky Classic on Saturday. 

 “We saw there was a great lineup out here, so we thought we might as well have a go,” Kitching said. 

That decision paid off in a big way.

Kitching, a senior from Coffs Harbour, Australia, won in meet record and season-best time of 1:59.22, leading four women under the two-minute barrier. On Friday evening, Kitching was part of the DMR that finished in sixth (10:51.68)

“I just knew it was going to be awesome,” she said of racing a deep field that included 2024 Olympian Juliette Whittaker of Stanford. 

Rosemary Longisa of Washington State placed second in 1:59.71, Whittaker finished third in 1:59.76 in her first 800 of the indoor season, and Washington’s Chloe Foerster was fourth in 1:59.91.

All four moved into the top six on the NCAA list. 

For Kitching, the breakthrough performance had been building.

“I’ve been looking at dipping under two for a while,” she said. “I knew I had the fitness. I believe in myself, I’m confident — I just had to go out there and execute.”

The result also reflects a strong tradition in the event for the Nittany Lions.

“I don’t know — there’s just something in the water,” Kitching said with a smile. “We’ve got Coach (Ryan) Foster, and he really knows his stuff. He’s super supportive, and whatever training we need to do, he does it for us. We just work super hard.”

With championship season approaching, the performance provided reassurance.

“I think we’re set up to do really well,” she said.

The women’s mile also produced fireworks, as Oklahoma’s Billah Jepkirui 4:22.92 to break the Dempsey Indoor Facility record of 4:23.68, previously set by Shelby Houlihan. Boise State’s Kaiya Robertson finished second in a personal best 4:24.51.

Jepkirui's time is the fastest ever on an oversized track and would have been the fastest in collegiate history if not for an historic race at Boston University, also Saturday. 

The fastest men’s mile of the day from the non-invitational sections went to Utah Valley’s Silas Kiplagat in 3:58.29.

In the men’s invitational 5,000 meters, Florida’s Kelvin Cheruiyot made the cross-country trip count, winning in a Dempsey meet-record time of 13:15.57. Cheruiyot closed hard to overtake Louisville’s Elsingi Kipruto (13:17.74) in the final stretch. Both dipped under the previous meet record of 13:17.16 held by Washington State's Evans Kirui.

Cheruiyot’s time ranks fifth in the NCAA this indoor season.

The women’s 5,000 was also fast, with Eastern Kentucky’s Edna Chelulei sitting back before making a decisive late move to win in 15:05.16.

In the women’s 3,000, Iowa State’s Betty Kipkore overtook the leader late in the race, crossing the line in 8:44.09 as New Mexico’s Pamela Kosgei was right behind in 8:44.91. 

Adidas professional Joe Waskom, a University of Washington alum, claimed the men’s 800 title in 1:46.76 out of section seven. Northern Arizona’s Reinhardt Harrison was the top collegiate finisher, placing second overall in 1:46.93.

In the sprints, Idaho’s Keenan Kuntz won the men’s 60 meters in 6.65, while Dyvonna Hawkins of Left Coast Track & Field captured the women’s 60 in 7.47.

Chase Walter, competing unattached, won the men’s 400 in 46.73 — a full second ahead of the field. Villanova’s Olivia Allen claimed the women’s 400 title in 53.69.

Saturday’s field event winners included Montana State’s Sydney Brewster in the women’s shot put (55-1.50 /16.80m) and Utah State’s Joe Turner in the men’s shot put (59-8.25/18.19m).

Competing unattached, Olivia Rose won the women’s long jump at 19-0.50, while Prestin Artis claimed the men’s long jump with a mark of 24-4.50 (7.12m).