WASHINGTON (Army News Service, March 15, 2016) -- Spc. Paul Chelimo placed second in the U.S. Indoor Track and Field Championships 3,000-meter race, held March 11, in Portland, Oregon.
His time was 7:39:00 just a few hair-widths behind first-place Ryan Hill's 7:38:60.
However, coming in second is just about as good as first because only the top two of the 12 competitors get to go to the World Indoor Track and Field Championships later this week.
It should also be noted that Army Staff Sgt. John Nunn won the 3,000 meter race/walk as well. However, there's no World Indoor Championships for that event, but that's a huge accomplishment nonetheless.
Chelimo faced a daunting field of challengers. "This race last weekend was even more competitive than the U.S. Olympic Trials will be this summer," said his World Class Athlete Program, or WCAP coach, Dan Browne. Browne himself ran in the Olympics in Athens in 2004, placing 12th in the 10,000-meter race as the top American finisher and 65th in the marathon.
For instance, Chelimo faced Olympic silver medalists Galen Rupp and Eric Jenkins. Another, Evan Jager, is the current U.S. record holder in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Also, first place finisher Rupp was the winner of this year's Olympic Marathon Trials in Los Angeles. The others were of similar caliber, Browne noted.
As far as prestige goes, Browne said, the World Indoor Track and Field Championships is just behind the Olympics. "This is huge and winning a spot was huge for Chelimo."
It was also great for WCAP, he added. That program is producing others like Chelimo that the Army and America can be proud of.
As for Chelimo, "he showed a lot of character and endurance," Browne said. This race "shows he's got Army Strong in his blood."
Chelimo admitted that he was nervous the whole week prior to the race, "but being nervous helped," he said, "because you're not taking things for granted."
Besides that, he said he knew he was up against Olympians and top world athletes so he felt like the underdog. "Being the underdog gives you a boost."
Chelimo said he's nervous about this upcoming weekend too, which is a good thing. Another good thing, he said, is that although he bested the best in last weekend's race, he feels that once again he'll be the underdog going against the world's best this coming weekend.
He added that he'd like to "thank the Army and WCAP for all the support they've given me."
UPCOMING EVENTS
This Friday in Portland's Oregon Convention Center, Chelimo runs a preliminary race. If he qualifies, he'll go on to run in the 3,000-meter finals at the World Indoor Championships on Sunday afternoon.
"I think he's going to do very well," said Browne, noting that Kenya and Ethiopia will probably be where the competition is strongest.
Besides that, Chelimo and other Soldiers will participate in the Olympic track and field trials, July 1 to 10, in Eugene, Oregon. Chelimo will be trying out for the 5,000-meter event. Incidentally, his strongest event isn't the 3,000 but the 5,000-meters, Browne commented.
"He's just 26 and so he has a lot of running years left," Browne concluded. "He's still developing his strength. We're focusing on volume and intensity and raising the bar on his training overall."
Browne added that Chelimo is tough mentally, physically and emotionally. That's a tribute to him and to his Army training. "It's resilience and readiness 101, and he accomplished this tremendously difficult mission. It shows just how competitive he is."
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