One year ago UTEP’s
Mircea Bogdan wasn’t running in the finals of the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. On Friday, the junior from Romania was being crowned the 2005 champion in Sacramento, Calif.
“This is a great start for our program, for what we are trying to do and a tremendous achievement for Bogdan. He went from a year ago not finishing the race to this outstanding accomplishment,” said head coach Bob Kitchens. “(Distance coach) Paul (Ereng) did a great job at getting Mircea and Patrick (Mutai) read for this race. It just was a great job running on both of their behalves.”
The completion of Bogdan’s comeback story needed a little comeback of its own. From the onset, Bogdan stayed back in fifth position for nearly the entire the race with his teammate Patrick Mutai staying up with the lead pack.
“My plan was to stay fourth just in back of the front runners,” said Bogdan. “However I wasn’t able to follow that plan because the guys went out a little too fast. After that, I just wanted to stay in position to make a move.”
Mutai pushed the pace by going into the lead with over four and a half laps remaining and held that spot until North Carolina State’s Andy Smith sprinted past him with over 400 meters remaining. Bogdan sat a distant fifth, but not for long.
“The last lap I ran as fast as I could for the final 300 meters. I can’t believe I won,” said Bogdan. “When I passed by four guys it gave me more confidence and energy. The other guys just died. It was as if the wind behind me and the other runner were running against it.”
Bogdan blew past Mutai, the meet’s favorite Peter Kosgei of Arkansas, Florida State’s Andrew Lemoncello and Smith on the back stretch to take a convincing lead heading into the final water jump. And unlike what the cliche says; there was looking back as Bogdan checked to see just how far ahead he was as he crossed the finish line.
Bogdan posted personal-best 8:27.29 -- two seconds ahead of Kosgei (8:29.13) for his first national title and erasing memories of stepping off the track in the steeplechase at the 2004 NCAA Midwest Regional and the in the 10,000-meter run at last year’s national meet.
Mutai also gained All-America honors, placing fifth in a personal-best 8:31.93.
“As a freshman, this is just the beginning. I have three more years to gain more strength and experience,” said Mutai. “It wasn’t my plan to take the lead (midway through the race), but I am happy because I got to pick up the pace for my friend Mircea to win the race.”
Bogdan becomes the first UTEP men’s champion since Matti Nrhi won the javelin in 1999.
UTEP’s Erma-Gene Evans aggravated her groin in warm-up before the javelin final and had to with draw from competition.
The Championships continue through Saturday.
The remainder of UTEP's schedule at the NCAA Championships follows:
Saturday, June 11
5 p.m. - high jump FINAL (Hanany)
8:50 p.m. - 5000-meter run FINAL (Samoei)
All time are Mountain
|
|
