Rono Running it back to Nationals

Saturday, November 19

Stillwater, Okla.

9:20 a.m.

Abilene Christian

NCAA National Championships

Photo by: Cassie Kelley

11/17/2022 10:47:00 PM | Cross Country

ESPNU Live Results Championships Program

ABILENE - Irene Rono is beginning final preparations for Saturday's national championship race after arriving earlier today at Oklahoma State, home to where she made her NCAA debut a mere 20 months ago.

That 2021 race concluded a revelatory season for Rono, in which she successfully alternated between outdoor terrains and indoor arenas. She started the spring with a 3K win at Texas Tech, and later won three Southland Conference medals within a week.

Without the worry of regionals (due to COVID), Rono clinched her spot at nationals after claiming the Southland's XC crown. At indoor's she won the 3K and brought home bronze in the 5K.

Then what followed outdoors for the native of Eldama Ravine, Kenya was a showcase of sheer greatness.

Rono placed third in the Texas Relays 10K and concluded outdoors with four consecutive wins, which included a pair of Southland gold (5K and 10K). These medal-stand statements continued into the fall of 2021, where she won three of four races including the school's first WAC individual championship.

Rono's list of ACU firsts additionally includes being the first Wildcat who was twice named DI South Central All-Region (2021-22), and who qualified for three consecutive DI championships (2020-22). The most recent Wildcats to qualify for three consecutive championships at the DII level were Ukraine's Olha Kryv'yak (2004-06) and Kenya's Loice Cheboi (2006-08).

Rono earned her first South Central All-Region citation last November with a time of 20:51.2, which was good for fourth place - ACU's best at a DI regional XC competition. Then last week in College Station she ran a fifth-place time of 20:30.0.

In between these two regional races, Rono registered indoor PRs in the mile and 3K and three outdoor PRs in the 1500m, 5K and 10K as she never finished lower than sixth place through nine meets and 11 events during the 2022 campaign.

Rono's road to this year's nationals started with back-to-back wins in Abilene and Nacogdoches followed by a third-place 5K time of 16:19.1 at the crowded and competitive Chile Pepper Festival. Rono continued to hold her own against the best of the region and nation with stellar showings at Oklahoma State (20:53.8), WAC Championships (20:20.2) and regionals (20:30.0).

This trip to Stillwater's Greiner Family Course is the third of Rono's career. She knows the terrain, acknowledges and appreciates her adversaries, and has certainly learned to cope with the chilly temps consistent with mid-autumn. Saturday's forecast will be similar to what she's accustomed to in Abilene with temperatures hovering around freezing come the 9:20 a.m. start time.

The NCAA Division I Cross Country Championship race will be broadcast live on ESPNU with the women's race starting at 9:20 a.m., followed by the men at 10:10 a.m.