With temperatures in the high 40s, the Missouri women’s cross-country team placed 28th overall in a field of 32 teams at the 9:20 a.m. national championship race this Saturday at their very own Gans Creek
Cross Country Course in Columbia, Mo.
“We’re excited to finally get the opportunity to host the national championship, and excited to have runners on the line on Saturday, and I think it’s been a long time coming,” coach Kyle Levermore said.
Women’s Championship Race
Freshman Monica Wanjiku of Kenya became the second freshman to earn All-American Honors for Missouri and led the Tigers, placing 35th with a time of 19:17.4.
“I wanted just to get All-American and its a dream come true in my first nationals,” Wanjiku said. “I feel so great, I’m so happy for the team and this what I expected. I knew it was going to be hard but at least now I have experience for the next one.”
At the 1K split, Wanjiku was 31st in 3:02.8. Suzy Lecoutre followed in 156th (3:12.2), and Rahel Broemmel was 179th (3:13.5). At 2K, Wanjiku slipped to 36th (6:14.6). Broemmel and Lecoutre held 178th and 179th (both 6:36.6), and Kobi Walker and Mirriam Chepkirui were 205th and 206th (6:39.7).
“The first thing I had kept in mind is that coach told us go and just have fun and that’s what I did even though I tried my best, but my mind was like go and just have fun,” Wanjiku said.
By 3K, Wanjiku climbed to 32nd (9:26.0). Chepkirui moved to 177th (10:00.9), with Broemmel close behind in 180th (10:01.2). At 4K, Wanjiku remained steady in 32nd (12:44.3). Chepkirui advanced to 165th (13:28.0). Broemmel was 189th (13:35.5) and Lecoutre 195th (13:36.6).
At the 5K, Wanjiku fell to 35th (16:01.4). Chepkirui improved to 155th (16:52.4), and Walker and Broemmel were 198th and 199th (17:06.5 and 17:06.7). In the final results, Chepkirui finished 154th in 20:15.4. Walker took 188th (20:27.9), and Broemmel placed 191st (20:29.3).
The last two racers for Missouri were Natalie Barnard, who finished the race with a time of 20:53.4 and Graduate student Allison Newman finished the race with a time of 21:09.8.
“That’s our home, we’re not going to let anyone come in and tear up our home with us on it, it’s a sense of excitement of being able to see,” Newman said. “We know everything about every blade of grass that’s in front of us.”
Alabama’s Doris Lemngole won the race in 18:25.4, followed by BYU’s Jane Hedengren in 18:38.9. NC State earned the team title with 114 points, and BYU placed second with 130.
Missouri finished with 632 points, closing out its national championship appearance on its home course.
“We want to have that morale for every team to make nationals to head to the Regionals and all that, so as a team I know in the next few years to come we will do great,” Wanjiku said.
What’s Next
Most of the Tigers runners will begin competing in track and field for Missouri, where they can showcase their indoor running skills. The spring season will also give them an opportunity to continue developing and refining their performance during the cross country offseason.
“It’s just been a long season and I’m really really proud of them,” Levermore said. “The result today is a starting point for us and I’m really really excited and really proud of Monica and that performance.
The first track and field race of the season will be on Dec. 7 at the Danville Opener in Boston, Mass., where multiple runners will be at the ready.
To read more about Missouri’s Cross Country and Track & Field team, follow @SophBleedsLa and @RockMNation on X.com.
