Kirubel Erassa (born June 17, 1993) is an Ethiopian-born American middle- and long-distance runner. Kirubel was a silver medalist in 3000 meters at the 2014 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships and seven-time All-American in NCAA Division 1 track and field.

Kirubel Erassa
Kirubel at the 2018 USATF Indoor Championships
Personal information
Nationality United States
Born (1993-06-17) June 17, 1993 (age 31)
Ethiopia
Sport
SportTrack
Event(s)1500 meters, mile, 5000 meters
College teamOklahoma State University
ClubAtlanta Track Club since 11/2015
Turned pro2015
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)1500 meters: 3:38.26[1]

Mile: 3:57.86[1]
5000 meters: 13:17.23[1]
10,000 meters: 27:32.86[1]

[1]
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing the  United States
IAAF Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country International Challenge
Gold medal – first place 2012Edinburgh Cross Country

Early life

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Erassa attended Grayson High School and was a national elite high school runner there. He earned spot on the 2009 Foot Locker Cross Country Championships team.[2][3] He also ran in the 2010 adidas Jim Ryun Boys Dream Mile at the New York Diamond League in June.[4] At the 2010 Nike Indoor Nationals, Erassa placed first in the 5000 meters and was runner-up in the mile run.[5][6]

In his junior year, Erassa earned the Georgia AAAAA state championship in 1600 metres and competed at the Nike Outdoor Nationals.[5] He took the Georgia AAAAA state championship in cross country and 1600 metres as a senior, as well as being the 3200 metres runner-up.[7][8]

Oklahoma State University

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Track and field

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In his first year in collegiate track and field he placed third in the mile at the Big 12 Conference indoor championships and ninth in the 3000 m. At the regional outdoor championships he was only tenth in the 5000 m, but managed fourth in the 1500 meters.

He won the Big 12 Conference outdoor championship in the 5000 m in his second year and also was the 3000 m runner-up at that level. He gained NCAA All-American honours in the indoor mile and outdoor 5000 m (ninth place) that year.[9]

He placed in the top three of all his events at Big 12 Conference championship in his junior year. Indoors he was runner-up in the mile and third in the 3000 m, then outdoors he took second place in the 1500 m and third in the 5000 m. At the NCAA championships he was sixth in the distance medley relay, third over 3000 m and 18th in the 5000 m.

In his final year at Oklahoma state he took a clean sweep of Big 12 Conference titles, including the mile, 3000 m and 5000 m indoors and a 5000/10,000 meters double outdoors. In his last appearance at the NCAA Men's Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships Kirubel was the 3000 m runner-up and also earned All American honours in the distance medley relay.[10][11][12][13]

Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
2011 Big 12 Conference Track and Field Indoor Championships Nebraska-Devaney Center Lincoln, Nebraska 3rd Mile 4:08.79
2011 Big 12 Conference Track and Field Indoor Championships Nebraska-Devaney Center Lincoln, Nebraska 9th 3000 metres 8:14.51
2012 Big 12 Conference Track and Field Indoor Championships Texas A&M Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium College Station, Texas 2nd 3000 metres 8:02.98
2012 Big 12 Conference Track and Field Indoor Championships Texas A&M University Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium College Station, Texas 8th Mile 4:07.35
2012 NCAA Division 1 Track and Field Indoor Championships Boise State University Jackson's Track Nampa, Idaho 10th Mile 4:04.36
2012 Big 12 Conference Track and Field Outdoor Championships Kansas State University RV Christian Track Manhattan, Kansas 10th 5000 metres 14:17.67
2012 Big 12 Conference Track and Field Outdoor Championships Kansas State University RV Christian Track Manhattan, Kansas 4th 1500 metres 3:43.99
2013 Big 12 Conference Track and Field Indoor Championships Iowa State University Leid Rec Center Ames, Iowa 3rd 3000 metres 8:04.54
2013 Big 12 Conference Track and Field Indoor Championships Iowa State University Leid Rec Center Ames, Iowa 2nd Mile 4:02.02
2013 NCAA Division 1 Track and Field Indoor Championships University of Arkansas Randall Tyson Track Fayetteville, Arkansas 6th Distance Medley Relay 9:35.55
2013 NCAA Division 1 Track and Field Indoor Championships University of Arkansas Randall Tyson Track Fayetteville, Arkansas 3rd 3000 meters 7:49.17
2013 Big 12 Conference Track and Field Outdoor Championships Waco Hart-Patterson Track Waco, Texas 1st 5000 metres 13:53.53
2013 NCAA Division 1 Track and Field Outdoor Championships Hayward Field Eugene, Oregon 9th 5000 metres 14:00.31
2014 Big 12 Conference Track and Field Indoor Championships Iowa State University Leid Rec Center Ames, Iowa 1st Mile 4:15.94
2014 Big 12 Conference Track and Field Indoor Championships Iowa State University Leid Rec Center Ames, Iowa 1st 3000 metres 7:53.53
2014 Big 12 Conference Track and Field Indoor Championships Iowa State University Leid Rec Center Ames, Iowa 1st 5000 metres 14:11.29
2014 NCAA Division 1 Track and Field Indoor Championships Albuquerque Convention Center Albuquerque, New Mexico 12th Distance Medley Relay 10:01.56
2014 NCAA Division 1 Track and Field Indoor Championships Albuquerque Convention Center Albuquerque, New Mexico 2nd 3000 meters 8:13.08
2014 Big 12 Conference Track and Field Outdoor Championships Texas Tech University Lubbock, Texas 3rd 5000 metres 14:46.51
2014 Big 12 Conference Track and Field Outdoor Championships Texas Tech University Lubbock, Texas 2nd 1500 metres 3:55.01
2014 NCAA Division 1 Track and Field Outdoor Championships Hayward Field Eugene, Oregon 18th 5000 meters 14:12.98
2015 Big 12 Conference Track and Field Outdoor Championships Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 1st 5000 metres 14:24.98
2015 Big 12 Conference Track and Field Outdoor Championships Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 1st 10,000 metres 28:50.41
2015 NCAA Division 1 Track and Field Outdoor Championships Hayward Field Eugene, Oregon DNF 5000 meters DNF

Cross country

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In his freshman year at Oklahoma state he placed seventh in the Big 12 Conference cross country, then improved to second place the following year, in which Oklahoma State Cowboys took the team title. His 102nd place finish at the 2012 NCAA Men's Division I Cross Country Championship also helped his school to the NCAA team title. He was the winner of the Big 12 Conference race in his third year.[11][12][14][15]

Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
2012 Big 12 Conference Cross Country Championships Austin, Texas 7th 8000 metres 24:06
2012 2012 NCAA Men's Division I Cross Country Championship E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park Louisville, Kentucky 102nd 10,000 metres 30:44.7
2013 Big 12 Conference Cross Country Championships Waco, Texas 2nd 8000 metres 22:53.9
2013 2013 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships Indiana State University Terre Haute, Indiana 83rd 10,000 metres 31:10.1
2014 Big 12 Conference Cross Country Championships Rim Rock Farm Lawrence, Kansas 1st 8000 metres 24:08.2
2014 2014 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships Indiana State University Terre Haute, Indiana 69th 10,000 metres 31:15.6

International

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2012

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He was named USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week on 11 January 2012 as a result of his victory in the junior men’s 6 km race at the Great Edinburgh International Cross Country. He was the only American individual winner and led the American junior men to a team title.[16][17]

2016

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Kirubel Erassa placed 26th at the 2016 Great Edinburgh International Cross Country Senior 8 km race.[3] Erassa ran 4:04.5 placed 7th on the road at the 2016 Grandma's Minnesota Mile on September 11th.[18]

USA National Championships

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Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
2012 Junior USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Eugene, Oregon 1st 5000 metres 14:28.00
2015 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Eugene, Oregon DNS 1500 metres
2015 USA Club Cross Country Championships San Francisco, California 7th 10,000 metres 29:38[19]
2016 USATF National Club Cross Country Championships Tallahassee, Florida 41st 10,000 metres 30:23[20]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Kirubel ERASSA". IAAF. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  2. ^ "Kirubel Erassa after EdinburghCrossCountry 2012". YouTube.
  3. ^ a b 2016 Great Edinburgh International Cross Country Senior 8 km race result Great Edinburgh International Cross Country. January 2016.
  4. ^ http://www.flotrack.org/coverage/237062-The-2010-Jim-Ryun-High-School-Dream-Mile/video/496141-2010-adidas-Jim-Ryun-B.oys-Dream-Mile-Lukas-Verzbicas-40438 [dead link]
  5. ^ a b http://parser.dyestat.com/search.jsp?athID=80311
  6. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Kirubel Erassa (GA) Interview. YouTube.
  7. ^ "Kirubel Erassa".
  8. ^ "Kirubel Erassa".
  9. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Big 12 Indoor Track & Field Championships - Day 2 Recap. YouTube.
  10. ^ 2015 Payton Jordan Invitational Stanford University. May 1, 2015.
  11. ^ a b Oklahoma State Kirubel Erassa Oklahoma State University
  12. ^ a b "Kirubel Erassa - 2013-14 - Men's Cross Country & Track".
  13. ^ 2016 US Olympic Trials Track and Field in Eugene, Oregon Madison Communications July 1, 2016.
  14. ^ "4 National Championships".
  15. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Kirubel Erassa of Oklahoma State sprints home for NCAA regional win. YouTube.
  16. ^ http://www.legacy.usatf.org/News/Erassa-named-USATF-Athlete-of-the-Week.aspx?feed=news
  17. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Kirubel Erassa after EdinburghCrossCountry 2012. YouTube.
  18. ^ "Grandma's Minnesota Mile Results". mtec results. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  19. ^ Atlanta Track Club Picture of Kirubel at 2015 USA Club Cross Country Championships after losing a shoe
  20. ^ 2016 USATF Club XC USATF. December 2016.
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