by Alfonz Juck
Ed Cheserek, Boston University, 9 February 2018, photo by PhotoRun.netCheserek sub 3:50
BOSTON (USA, Feb 9): In front of a raucous crowd at the Boston University Track & Tennis Center 17-time NCAA champion Edward Cheserek of Kenya ran the second fastest indoor mile of all time, clocking 3:49.44 WL in a special three-man race. Only one man, two-time Olympic gold medalist Hicham El Geurrouj of Morocco, has run faster indoors, a 3:48.45 performance in Gent, Belgium, in 1997. On the first day of the David Hemery Invitational, Cheserek received pacing help from Brannon Kidder (28.9 and 57.6) and Drew Piazza. The three men stayed in formation through half-way (1:54.6), then Kidder dropped out on the backstretch of the fifth lap leaving Piazza to take over. Cheserek doesn’t think of himself as a miler, but rather a 5000-meter man and a part-time road racer. Cheserek may race again in Boston today at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix at a different track in Roxbury where he is entered in the 3000m. Also here University of New Hampshire steeplechaser Elinor Purrier ran a world-leading and personal best 4:26.55 in the women’s mile, the second-fastest indoor time every by a collegiate woman according to a list compiled by Track & Field News. Canada’s Gabriela Stafford finished second in 4:27.44, likely locking in a team berth for Canada at the IAAF World Indoor Championships. Third Marta Freitas from Portugal 4:29.65 PB. Olga Kosichenko won the 800 m in 2:02.92 PB. From RRW.
Brannon Kidder, Drew Piazza and Ed Cheserek, 9 February 2018, photo by PhotoRun.net
