Spring Break
XCOUNTRY: Gendebo is top rookie, but Judges still falter
by Mike Prada
Editor in Chief
Sports | 10/30/07
Posted online at 10:13 PM EST on 10/29/07
/ Last updated at 12:27 PM EST on 10/29/07
When Mekonen Gendebo '11 finished his race at the University Athletic Association championships Saturday, he was initially overjoyed because his ninth-place finish out of 78 runners ensured that he would earn the UAA Rookie of the Year award. But once he heard where the team finished, Gendebo's mood changed immediately.
"I was telling all my teammates [about my finish], and I was really, really, happy, but once I found out where we finished, that was all gone," he said.
Despite Gendebo's heroics, the men's cross country team finished in fifth place out of eight teams in Boston this weekend with 124 points, and the Judges were just three points shy of third-place Case Western Reserve University. It was a significant step down from last year's second-place finish at this event.
The women's team finished in sixth place with 144 points, one spot below last season's fifth-place finish.
Gendebo has emerged as the team's top runner this year, and he put a stamp on his season with his performance Saturday. His time of 25 minutes, 47 seconds was his fastest of the season and marked the third consecutive meet in which his time improved. He said he was thinking about winning the UAA Rookie of the Year while he raced, explaining that it spurred him to run his fastest instead of causing him to tighten up.
"Usually, when I'm running, I'm thinking about how tired I am, but this time, I was thinking, 'I'm doing great, I'm going to be Rookie of the Year,' and that definitely helped me a lot," he said.
Gendebo set a blistering pace early, emerging as the race's leader for the first 800 meters. But he struggled to keep that up and eventually was passed by over 20 runners. With his Rookie of the Year hopes fading fast, Gendebo rebounded, passing several runners late in the race to break back into the top 10.
"[The key] was my mental preparation," Gendebo said. "For the past few weeks, [this meet] was all I was thinking about."
"I was telling all my teammates [about my finish], and I was really, really, happy, but once I found out where we finished, that was all gone," he said.
Despite Gendebo's heroics, the men's cross country team finished in fifth place out of eight teams in Boston this weekend with 124 points, and the Judges were just three points shy of third-place Case Western Reserve University. It was a significant step down from last year's second-place finish at this event.
The women's team finished in sixth place with 144 points, one spot below last season's fifth-place finish.
Gendebo has emerged as the team's top runner this year, and he put a stamp on his season with his performance Saturday. His time of 25 minutes, 47 seconds was his fastest of the season and marked the third consecutive meet in which his time improved. He said he was thinking about winning the UAA Rookie of the Year while he raced, explaining that it spurred him to run his fastest instead of causing him to tighten up.
"Usually, when I'm running, I'm thinking about how tired I am, but this time, I was thinking, 'I'm doing great, I'm going to be Rookie of the Year,' and that definitely helped me a lot," he said.
Gendebo set a blistering pace early, emerging as the race's leader for the first 800 meters. But he struggled to keep that up and eventually was passed by over 20 runners. With his Rookie of the Year hopes fading fast, Gendebo rebounded, passing several runners late in the race to break back into the top 10.
"[The key] was my mental preparation," Gendebo said. "For the past few weeks, [this meet] was all I was thinking about."
Be the first to comment on this story