NIACC's Kipkemboi places 7th in steeplechase, 2 school records fall
HUTCHINSON, Kan. - Two school records fell on Friday for the NIACC men's track and field team at the NJCAA Division I national championships.
NIACC sophomore Melvin Kipkemboi set a school record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (9 minutes, 29.06 seconds) and placed seventh, earning him USTFCCCA all-American honors. He is the first NIACC men's track and field athlete to earn all-American honors in the 3,000 steeplechase.
Also, NIACC sophomore Tinashe Chigudu ran a school-record 10.35 in the 100-meter prelims as he clocked the 10th fastest time and narrowly missing Saturday's finals. Coffeyville CC's Victor Smith earned the final qualifying spot for the finals in a time of 10.30.
Kipkemboi broke his own school record time of 9:29.98 on April 9 at the Mount Mercy Mustang Open.
Kipkemboi now has five top-eight finishes at national track and field meets.
At the 2021 national indoor meet, Kipkemboi was third in the 5,000 and seventh in the 3,000. At the 2021 national outdoor meet, he was sixth in the 10,000 and seventh in the 5,000.
Chigudu also broke his own school record in the 100 prelims. His old mark was 10.37 at the Dick Young Invitational on April 23.
It was the third school record set by the NIACC men at the national meet. The Trojans set the school record in the 4x100 on Thursday in a time of 40.75.
On Saturday, Kipkemboi is scheduled to run the 5,000, Randry Mugisha will compete in the javelin and Kameron Glasper will compete in the discus.
On the women's side on Friday, NIACC's Jordan Swenson placed 17th in the high jump with a personal best jump of 5 feet, 1 3/4 inches.
On Saturday for the NIACC women, Halsie Keltner will compte in the javelin.
