Photo by: Cheryl Treworgy
KNIGHT'S A CHAMPION, ONCE AGAIN
3/9/2018 9:51:00 PM | Track and Field
Justyn Knight Captures NCAA 5k Title
Justyn Knight is a National Champion once again!
The star senior captured his second NCAA Individual Championship and third overall on Friday night, when he claimed the NCAA Indoor 5000-Meter Championship in College Station, Texas. Knight previously won the 2017 NCAA Individual Cross Country Championship and was the top finisher on the 2015 NCAA Cross Country Championship team.
Knight is just the fifth Syracuse athlete to win multiple NCAA Individual Championships and first in 37 years to accomplish the feat. Only John Granger (boxing, 1954-55), Leo Minotti (gymnastics, 1950-51), Jim Nance (wrestling, 1963, 1965) and Gene Mills (wrestling, 1979, 1981) have previously done it. Knight is also the second Syracuse athlete to win an NCAA indoor title, joining Jarret Eaton, the 2012 NCAA Champion in the 60-meter hurdles.
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The Vaughn, Ontario native crossed the line in 14:14.47, pulling away from the field over the final two laps to capture the title. Knight hung in the middle of the pack for the majority of the race, before pushing toward the front with five laps to go. With two laps remaining, Knight pushed out to the lead and pulled away from the pack. Alabama's Vincent Kiprop took second (14:15.01) and Oklahoma State's Hassan Abdi finished third in 14:15.38.
"I'm very confident in my foot speed," Knight said afterward. "I thought I was prepared either way, whether it was a slow race or a fast race, and my coaches just got me ready for it. It's my last year here at Syracuse, I've always dreamed of a track title and come close too many times to count. It means a lot to bring it home for Syracuse.
A member of the Bowerman Award Watch List, Knight still has hopes of winning another NCAA Championship at this meet, he'll represent Syracuse in the 3000-meter run on Saturday, where he's the nation's top seed.
Should Knight successfully complete the double, he'll become the 28th man in NCAA history to score 20-or-more points at an NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship and the seventh man to successfully complete the 3k/5k double. The other six are Edward Cheserek, Galen Rupp, Alistair Cragg, David Kimani, Eric Jenkins and Lawi Lalang in those events. Knight's company of multiple NCAA indoor titles in the same meet is a who's who of the sport's greatest stars. Carl Lewis (55-meters/long jump), Jim Ryun (mile/3000), Justin Gatlin (60/200) and Bernard Lagat (mile/3000) are a few of the stars who have previously accomplished the feat.
In addition to Knight, Paige Stoner, Matt Moore and Angelo Goss all concluded their NCAA Championship races with All-America honors on Friday night.
Stoner raced in the women's 5k, immediately after Knight's title run. She hung with the lead pack for the majority of the race, sitting much of the time in sixth and seventh. She held that through the end to finish eighth in 16:05.88 and earn USTFCCCA First Team All-America honors.
Moore finished 10th in the 60-meter hurdles, crossing the line with a time of 7.82 seconds, which was 0.2 seconds out of qualifying for a spot in the final. The ACC runner-up, Moore finished fourth in his eight-man heat.
Goss pulled up before the line, finishing in 8.07 seconds after having to pull up with an injury two weeks prior at the ACC Championships. The duo finishes their indoor campaign with USTFCCCA Second Team All-America honors.
Knight's 3000-meter final is scheduled for 7:10 EST on ESPN3.
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The star senior captured his second NCAA Individual Championship and third overall on Friday night, when he claimed the NCAA Indoor 5000-Meter Championship in College Station, Texas. Knight previously won the 2017 NCAA Individual Cross Country Championship and was the top finisher on the 2015 NCAA Cross Country Championship team.
Knight is just the fifth Syracuse athlete to win multiple NCAA Individual Championships and first in 37 years to accomplish the feat. Only John Granger (boxing, 1954-55), Leo Minotti (gymnastics, 1950-51), Jim Nance (wrestling, 1963, 1965) and Gene Mills (wrestling, 1979, 1981) have previously done it. Knight is also the second Syracuse athlete to win an NCAA indoor title, joining Jarret Eaton, the 2012 NCAA Champion in the 60-meter hurdles.
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HE DOES IT AGAIN! @justyn_knight IS YOUR NCAA CHAMPION!! pic.twitter.com/8GKlkkIyik
— Syracuse XC/Track (@CuseXCTF) March 10, 2018
The Vaughn, Ontario native crossed the line in 14:14.47, pulling away from the field over the final two laps to capture the title. Knight hung in the middle of the pack for the majority of the race, before pushing toward the front with five laps to go. With two laps remaining, Knight pushed out to the lead and pulled away from the pack. Alabama's Vincent Kiprop took second (14:15.01) and Oklahoma State's Hassan Abdi finished third in 14:15.38.
"I'm very confident in my foot speed," Knight said afterward. "I thought I was prepared either way, whether it was a slow race or a fast race, and my coaches just got me ready for it. It's my last year here at Syracuse, I've always dreamed of a track title and come close too many times to count. It means a lot to bring it home for Syracuse.
A member of the Bowerman Award Watch List, Knight still has hopes of winning another NCAA Championship at this meet, he'll represent Syracuse in the 3000-meter run on Saturday, where he's the nation's top seed.
Should Knight successfully complete the double, he'll become the 28th man in NCAA history to score 20-or-more points at an NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship and the seventh man to successfully complete the 3k/5k double. The other six are Edward Cheserek, Galen Rupp, Alistair Cragg, David Kimani, Eric Jenkins and Lawi Lalang in those events. Knight's company of multiple NCAA indoor titles in the same meet is a who's who of the sport's greatest stars. Carl Lewis (55-meters/long jump), Jim Ryun (mile/3000), Justin Gatlin (60/200) and Bernard Lagat (mile/3000) are a few of the stars who have previously accomplished the feat.
In addition to Knight, Paige Stoner, Matt Moore and Angelo Goss all concluded their NCAA Championship races with All-America honors on Friday night.
Stoner raced in the women's 5k, immediately after Knight's title run. She hung with the lead pack for the majority of the race, sitting much of the time in sixth and seventh. She held that through the end to finish eighth in 16:05.88 and earn USTFCCCA First Team All-America honors.
Moore finished 10th in the 60-meter hurdles, crossing the line with a time of 7.82 seconds, which was 0.2 seconds out of qualifying for a spot in the final. The ACC runner-up, Moore finished fourth in his eight-man heat.
Goss pulled up before the line, finishing in 8.07 seconds after having to pull up with an injury two weeks prior at the ACC Championships. The duo finishes their indoor campaign with USTFCCCA Second Team All-America honors.
Knight's 3000-meter final is scheduled for 7:10 EST on ESPN3.
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Players Mentioned
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