Tuesday, September 3, 2019

PORTLAND, Ore. – After picking up their seasons exactly where they left off at the end of 2018, Alaska Anchorage runners Emmah Chelimo and Wesley Kirui have been selected as the first GNAC Athletes of the Week for the 2019-20 academic year.

The two defending conference individual champions were winners in Saturday’s Blue & Gold Run Fest, a dual meet held between Alaska Anchorage and Alaska on Saturday in Fairbanks.

Chelimo, who is entering her senior season, finished just ahead of teammate Nancy Jeptoo for the victory as she covered the 5,000-meter course in a time of 18:33.12. She ran an average pace of 5:58 per mile. It is the fifth career victory for Chelimo, who won both the GNAC Championships and the NCAA West Regional Championships last fall. She went on to place 23rd at the NCAA Championships, earning All-American honors.

Kirui, a junior, finished 12 seconds ahead of teammate Felix Kemboi to win in a time of 21:59.68 over the 7,000-meter course. He cruised at an average pace of 5:03 per mile. Kirui picked up his fourth career victory at Alaska Anchorage and his first since winning the GNAC Championships last November. He earned All-West Region honors with a fifth-place finish at the NCAA West Region Championships and was named an All-American after placing ninth at the NCAA Championships.

The two athletes led Alaska Anchorage to a pair of 17-point scores to win the dual meet.

Alaska Anchorage will not compete again until Saturday, Sept. 28, when the team travels to Sacramento, California for the NCAA Division II Pre-Nationals Meet.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 1
CROSS COUNTRY
Men: Wesley Kirui (Alaska Anchorage, Jr., Nakaru, Kenya – Hampton Univ.): Kirui led Alaska Anchorage to the team victory at the Blue & Gold Run Fest with the individual victory, covering the 7,000-meter course in a time of 21:59.68. It is his fourth individual race victory in a UAA uniform as he led the Seawolves to the team title with a score of 17 points. Also Nominated: Lukash Platil (Alaska).

Women: Emmah Chelimo (Alaska Anchorage, Sr., Iten, Kenya – Nyack Coll.): The defending GNAC and West Region champion opened the year with her fifth individual victory at the Blue & Gold Run Fest. She won in a time of 18:33.12 over 5,000 meters and led the Seawolves to the team title with a total of 17 points. Also Nominated: Alex Bergholtz (Alaska).