The NCAA Track and Field championships are currently underway in Austin, Texas. Michigan State runner Justine Kiprotich was leading in the final straightaway of the 1,500-meter race on Friday when a dramatic moment took place.
First, he took control of first place from Wisconsin’s Oliver Hoare with about 150 meters left in the race. However, Notre Dame’s Yared Nuguse leaned in at the last moment to steal the win from MSU and Kiprotich.
Nuguse clocked in at 3 minutes, 41.381 seconds.
Kiprotich, second, finished with 3 minutes, 41.384 seconds.
This was Kiprotich’s best finish in the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, finishing seventh last year and second again in 2017 but with a slightly slower time of 3 minutes, 43.50 seconds.
The East Kentwood native will be graduating this year, so truly a heartbreaking loss for the talented runner, although two second-place finishes in three years is nothing to sneeze at. Hopefully, he can move on from this, although losing by .03 seconds at the last moment has to hurt.
