NCAA, NATIONAL & STADIUM RECORDS BROKEN AT BRUTUS HAMILTON INVITATIONAL
By David Monti
(c) 2009 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Used with permission.

The NYRR Distance Carnival at the two-day Brutus Hamilton Invitational meeting ended on a high note last night with Liberty University's Sam Chelanga setting a new NCAA record at 10,000m.  The meet, jointly produced by the New York Road Runners and the University of California at Berkeley, was held at Edwards Stadium on the Berkeley campus.

Chelanga, a Kenyan who finished second at both last November's NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships and last month's NCAA Division I Indoor Championships in the 5000m, powered to a world-leading 27:28.48 win in the men's 10,000m, breaking Galan Rupp's NCAA record of 27:33.58 set in 2007.  Chelanga was followed over the finish line by Australia's Collis Birmingham who clocked a national record 27:29.73.  Japan's Yuki Sato finished third in 27:38.25, just three seconds shy of Toshinari Takaoka's Japanese record.  Nine men broke 28 minutes in the race.

In the women's 5000m, 2008 USA Olympic Trials 1500m champion Shannon Rowbury set a new Edwards Stadium record and personal best with her 15:12.95 clocking.  Sara Hall finished second in 15:34.68, while Carrie Tollefson signaled a return to fitness with her 15:35.33 third place finish.

Last year's NCAA 5000m champion Bobby Curtis led the men's 5000m in 13:29.12, followed by Australia's Ben St. Lawrence in a career best 13:30.18, and USA Olympian Jorge Torres in 13:30.65.  Multiple NCAA D-II champion Scott Bauhs was fourth in 13:30.85. 

Kenya's Philes Ongori ran a world-leading and Edwards Stadium record of 31:53.46 in the women's 10,000m.  She was followed by 2005 USA 10,000m champion Katie McGregor in 32:14.57.

The Brutus Hamilton Invitational continues later today.  The highlight event should be the Don Bowden Invitational Mile where Cal alumnus David Torrence, the reigning USA 3000m indoor champion, will try to defend his title.  Torrence ran 3:59.10 last year.