Liberty University
Iowa State Classic
Kirwa Joins 5K's Sub-14:00 Club at Iowa State
2/9/2018 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
Liberty junior Azaria Kirwa joined some lofty company Friday evening at the Iowa State Classic, inside the Lied Recreation Athletic Center. His personal-best 5K clocking of 13:55.74 makes him the fourth Flame ever to join the event's sub-14:00 club, along with Sam Chelanga, Josh McDougal and Caleb Edmonds.
Entering the weekend, no NCAA Division I runner had clocked a 5K time faster than 13:57.27 in 2018. That all changed on Friday, as Kirwa was one of 21 collegiate competitors at Iowa State's 300-meter oval to cross the finish line in 13:56 or less.
Kirwa placed 16th in the event's invitational section, a race won by reigning NCAA Division I men's cross country national champion Justyn Knight of Syracuse in 13:39.59. The race also saw two other Big South runners set new personal bests, including Campbell's Lawrence Kipkoech (fifth place, 13:41.17) and Amon Kemboi (eighth place, 13:43.78).
Kirwa shattered his previous indoor best of 14:11.36 and also improved upon his overall personal best of 14:00.29, both of which were set in 2017. The native of Eldoret, Kenya now trails only Chelanga and McDougal on Liberty's all-time indoor men's 5K list and climbs to sixth place on the Big South Conference's all-time chart.
Kirwa is now three-for-three in setting new personal-best times this season, following a 4:11.87 mile at the Liberty Kickoff (Jan. 27) and an 8:07.04 3K at the Camel City Invitational (Feb. 3). In the process, the 2017 IC4A indoor men's 5K champion has qualified for the 2018 IC4A meet in the mile, 3K and 5K.
Up Next
Liberty will be represented at the Iowa State Classic again on Saturday, as redshirt senior Colin Schultz competes in the men's mile at 2:15 p.m. Eastern.
Meanwhile, the second annual Liberty Elite Invitational will take place at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex on Saturday. The men's weight throw will get the meet started at 9 a.m., while the men's 5K will be the day's first running event at 10 a.m.
