Liberty University
USA Olympic Trials
Chelanga Finishes 6th in U.S. Olympic Trials 10K
7/1/2016 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
Making his debut at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Track & Field, 2011 Liberty graduate Sam Chelanga finished sixth in the men's 10K, Friday evening at Hayward Field.
Chelanga clocked a time of 28:56.12, leaving him 40 seconds behind the third and final qualifier to the Rio Olympics. Competing on his former collegiate home track, 2012 Olympic silver medalist Galen Rupp won the race in 27:55.04. He was followed onto the Team USA roster by a pair of Kenya-born Americans, runner-up Shadrack Kipchirchir (28:01.52) and third-place Leonard Korir (28:16.97).
Rupp's surge in pace during the second 5K of the meet's first track final and the warm, sunny conditions combined to take their toll on many of the competitors. Seven of the 27 entrants were unable to complete all 25 laps.
Chelanga, competing in his first Olympic Trials on the track after becoming a U.S. citizen in August 2015, summoned a 4:34 final mile to move up into sixth place by the finish line.
Tough race today but so honored to be part of the ????trials.In the end I was the 4th guy wit the Olympic standard. pic.twitter.com/f6ADvwG6D9
— Sam Chelanga (@SamChelanga) July 2, 2016
Chelanga will be back in action on Monday, running in the 5K prelims at 8 p.m. Eastern. The race will be televised on NBC Sports Network.
