March 12, 2011
EL PASO - Three-time All-American Risper Kimaiyo took a top finish placing seventh in the women's 5,000-meter run at the 2011 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in College Station, Texas.
"Risper ran a very good race today," head coach Mika Laaksonen. "Considering all she has gone through during the last couple of weeks this was a very good performance for her. It started as an early pace race otherwise she would probably have run a PR."
Kimaiyo clocked in a time of 16:13.55 for two points in the event. With the seventh-place finish Kimaiyo completes a top-eight NCAA finish in cross country, outdoor track and field and indoor track and field. The junior will likely be named first team All-America by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association later this weekend.
Abinuwa was the top finisher of her heat, the first of four, with a time of 53.02 to qualify for tomorrow's final. The senior was one of eight sprinters to advance to tomorrow's final of a pool of 16 student-athletes.
"Endurance ran a very smart race," Laaksonen added. "She will be in the same heat with first-seed favorite Jessica Beard (Texas A&M). It will be a fast race, good section for her."
Abinuwa will run in the second of two heats scheduled for 5:40 p.m. (CT).
