Liberty University
NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round
Kandie Qualifies to Eugene in Men's Steeplechase
5/28/2021 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
For the second time in his career, Liberty's Felix Kandie has successfully qualified for the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in the men's steeplechase. He punched his ticket to Eugene with a record-breaking time of 8:40.23 on Friday, the third day of the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet at Visit Jax Track at Hodges Stadium.
Kandie, who earned second team All-America honors during his previous NCAA appearance in 2019, clinched a return trip with relative ease on Friday. The junior from Eldoret, Kenya was part of a three-runner breakaway about midway through the race, along with Middle Tennessee's Kigen Chemadi and Butler's Remi Schyns. Chemadi (first, 8:37.93), Kandie (second, 8:40.23) and Schyns (third, 8:40.39) went on to notch the heat's three automatic qualifying spots to Eugene and post the three fastest times of the day among the trio of quarterfinal races.
Kandie's time of 8:40.23 broke the Liberty and ASUN all-time men's steeplechase records of 8:42.43 he had set on the same track at the 2019 NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet.
He will next race in the NCAA men's steeplechase semifinals at the new Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. The semifinals are set for June 9 at 8:32 p.m. Eastern with the final slated for June 11 at 8:24 p.m. Eastern.
Kandie will be joined in Eugene by teammate Kyle Mitchell, who qualified in the men's shot put on Wednesday. This will mark the third consecutive NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships where Liberty has qualified multiple male athletes.
Making his NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round debut during Friday evening's men's 5K, Ryan Drew placed 10th in his heat and 19th overall. His time of 13:55.46 ranks No. 2 in ASUN Conference history, trailing only his own conference-record 13:53.30 effort from the Virginia Grand Prix on May 1.
Drew's clocking also ranks 27th in the 11-year history of the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet. Only 18 total runners had broken 14:00 in the 5K at the first 10 editions of this meet before nearly half the field (23 of 48 competitors) did so despite Friday's warm, muggy conditions.
Competing in the second event of his first NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round appearance, Quinten Clay successfully cleared the first three heights (6-7, 6-9 and 6-11) in the men's high jump, Friday afternoon. That placed him in a tie for 26th place overall in the competition, including fifth among freshmen.
Men's NCAA National Qualifiers
Felix Kandie – Steeplechase – 8:40.23
Men's Record Breakers
ASUN All-Time and Liberty Record – Steeplechase – Felix Kandie – 8:40.23
Previous Records: 8:42.43 by Kandie at the 2019 NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet on May 24, 2019
Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
Steeplechase – No. 1 – Felix Kandie – 8:40.23
Up Next
The NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet will conclude on Saturday with women's events. Chelsea Igberaese will be the first Lady Flame in action, with the women's discus set for a 1:30 p.m. start time.
