Ishamel Kipkurui (26:50.21), Habtom Samuel (26:51.06) Lead Five Men Under Tokyo World Standard; Elise Cranny Goes Wire-to-Wire With Fellow American Weini Kelati; Collegians Kosgei, Clinger, Kipngetich Add to Historic Night

By Keenan Gray of DyeStat

Ken Martinez photos

Ishmael Kipkurui doesn't have your ordinary college freshman credentials:

- World U20 cross country title
- 13:05.47 5,000 meter time
- 8:09.23 two-mile Kenyan U20 record

But despite all those accomplishments, when he arrived on the University of New Mexico campus this past winter, he remained a mystery to so many here in the United States.

Not anymore. He's a collegiate record holder just four months since arriving in Albuquerque.

The 20-year-old from Baringo County, Kenya, accomplished an astounding 26 minute, 50.21 second effort for 10,000 meters on Saturday night to win the Tokyo men's race at The TEN, hosted by JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano, Calif.

Kipkurui conquered Nico Young's collegiate record time of 26:52.72 from last year's men's race at The TEN, making him the 16th fastest Kenyan in history.

Kipkurui's teammate Habtom Samuel also ran under Young's collegiate record, finishing second in 26:51.06 to improve his Eritrean No. 2 all-time effort.

Both Lobos, along with three other men in the field, also met the Tokyo World Championships 10,000-meter standard of 27:00.00.

South African Adrian Wildschutt, representing HOKA NAZ Elite, ran 26:51.27 to finish third overall and was within a second of his national record.

Ethiopian Telahun Haile Bekele, representing On, took fourth in 26:52.79. American Graham Blanks, making his pro debut at 10,000 meters, moved to No. 4 on the U.S. list after finishing fifth in 26:57.30.

BYU's Casey Clinger and Oklahoma State's Denis Kipngetich joined the NCAA top 10 all-time list, with Clinger running 27:11.00 for fifth best and Kipngetich running 27:20.10 for sixth best.

Ahmed Muhumed of HOKA NAZ Elite was seventh in 27:03.19.

American’s Elise Cranny and Weini Kelati went back-and-forth in the Tokyo women’s 10,000 meters, resulting in Cranny pulling away the last 400 meters in 67.22 seconds to run 30:36.56.

Cranny, representing Nike, collected a third career win at The Ten, going alongside her victories at the 2021 (30:47.42) and 2022 (30:14.66, US#3 all-time) meets.

Kelati, representing Under Armour Dark Sky, finished second in 30:38.60. Both Cranny and Kelati missed the World Championships standard of 30:20.00.

Calli Hauger-Thackery, representing Nike, took third in 30:53.73, placing her sixth on the all-time British list.

Taylor Roe, representing Puma Elite Running, secured fourth in 30:58.66 fresh off her national title at the U.S. Half-Marathon Championships on March 2 in Atlanta.

Australian record holder Lauren Ryan, representing Under Armour Dark Sky, rounded out the top five in 30:58.69.

New Mexico’s Pamela Kosgei almost became the second collegian ever to run under 31 minutes over the discipline, running 31:02.73 for No. 2 all-time of the collegiate list. Parker Valby ran 30:50.43 on April 11, 2024.

Brit Ellis Cross of Makou Endurance held off American Anthony Camerieri of Saucony by two seconds in the Spike men’s 10,000 meter, winning in 27:43.15 to knock off 44 seconds from his previous best.

American Katie Camarena of Saucony ran 31:45.79 in the Spike women’s 10,000 meter, needing a four-second margin of victory to beat American Claire Green of Peninsula Distance Club.

Oklahoma State’s Fouad Messaoudi covered the final 400 meters in 55.79 seconds to capture the Final Surge men’s 1,500 meter win in 3:35.55, ranking him fourth in the NCAA in the early season.

Australian Jackson Sharp, representing HOKA NAZ Elite, finished second in 3:36.82 and American Josh Thompson, representing Nike, finished third in 3:37.28.

Tostenson, Kitchen Crack All-Time HS Top 10 List For 1,500

Crater OR teammates Josiah Tostenson and Tayvon Kitchen both moved into the high school top 10 all-time list in the 1,500 meters after finishing fifth and ninth, respectively, in the pro field. Tostenson clocked 3:40.06 and Kitchen ran 3:41.62, moving to eighth and ninth on the all-time prep list.

Both Tostenson’s and Kitchen’s times also went under the Oregon all-time prep best, previously held by Matthew Maton in 3:42.54 (2015).

Abby Nichols of HOKA NAZ Elite ran 4:11.91 to win the Final Surge women’s 1,500 meters.

Landon Pretre of Menlo CA annihilated the meet record in the HOKA boys 3,200 meters by almost 15 seconds, running 8:58.52.

Rylee Blade of Santiago Corona CA cruised through the HOKA girls 3,200 meters in a US#2 10:00.56 for the win.

Anne Elise Packard of JSerra Catholic CA lowered the meet record in the HOKA girls 800 meters, running 2:07.89 to lower her former teammate’s, Georgia Jeanneret, time of 2:09.18 from the 2024 meet.

Griffen Kushen of Tesoro CA won the HOKA boys 800 meters in 1:52.82, completing a late comeback over Liberty CA’s Juan Juarez (1:52.88).

Grant Miller of La Serna CA finished within tenths of a second of the meet record in the HOKA boys 1,600 meters, winning in 4:08.30.

Jordin Lieberman of Murrieta Valley CA pulled away from a late scare at the finish line in the HOKA girls 1,600 meters, running 4:50.98 to beat Annie Ivarsson of Dana Hills CA in 4:51.00.