Ishmael Kipkurui of New Mexico broke the NCAA record in the men’s 10,000m Saturday night at Sound Running’s The TEN.

The previous mark was set at the same meet last year by Northern Arizona’s Nico Young who ran 26:52.72.

Kipkurui’s New Mexico teammate Habtom Samuel also ran faster than Young’s mark, finishing second in 26.51.06.

Adrian Wildschutt was the top professional finisher, running 26:51.27 to claim third place overall. The mark was just off his personal best of 26:50.54 set at last year’s Paris Olympics.

Running the 10,000 meters on the track for the first time, Ethiopia’s Telahun Haile Bekele took fourth in 26:52.79. American Graham Blanks finished fifth in 26:57.30 in his first professional 10K.

All five athletes achieved the 2025 World Athletics entry standard of 27:00 for the event. The group of five ran as a lead pack for the bulk of the race until Blanks lost contact with one lap to go. Kipkurui, Samuel, and Wildschutt ran three-wide down the final home stretch, but Kipkurrui surged ahead with a blistering final sprint to break the tape. Kipkurui’s ran his final lap in 55.80 seconds.

“I’m so happy for winning this race today and qualifying for Tokyo,” Kipkurui said. 

The Kenyan signed with New Mexico in December of last year. He finished second to Samuel in the 3,000m and 5,000m at the 2025 Mountain West Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships and later placed 14th and seventh in the events, respectively, at the 2025 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships.

“It’s good to have him (Kipkurui) on the team,” Samuel said. “We work together and push each other.”

The 20-year-old freshman Kipkurui was the 2023 U20 XC World Champion, leading Kenya to a World team title by one point over Ethiopia. Later that year, he placed 10th in the 5000 meters at the World Championships in Budapest.

Tokyo Men’s 10,000 Meter Results

1. Ishmael KIPKURUI – 26:50.21  

2. Habtom SAMUEL – 26:51.06  

3. Adrian WILDSCHUTT – 26:51.27  

4. Telahun HAILE BEKELE – 26:52.79  

5. Graham BLANKS – 26:57.30  

6. Gulveer SINGH – 27:00.22  

7. Ahmed MUHUMED – 27:03.19  

8. Casey CLINGER – 27:11.00  

9. Denis KIPNGETICH – 27:20.10  

10. Sean McGORTY – 27:20.19  

11. Drew HUNTER – 27:24.49  

12. Efrem GIDEY – 27:26.95  

13. Amon KEMBOI – 27:31.41  

14. Kieran TUNTIVATE – 27:36.56  

15. Jonas RAESS – 27:36.96  

16. Brian BARRAZA – 27:37.54  

17. Valentin SOCA REYES – 27:37.65  

18. Aaron BIENENFELD – 27:39.82  

19. Anthony ROTICH – 27:53.64  

20. Rory LEONARD – 28:09.20  

21. Simon BEDARD – 28:20.99  

22. Noah SCHUTTE – 28:21.12  

DNF. Joey BERRIATUA – 1  

DNF. Kirubel ERASSA – 1  

DNF. Dillon MAGGARD – 1  

DNF. Scott BEATTIE – 1  

DNF. Josh THOMPSON – 1  

DNS. Romain LEGENDRE – 1  

DNS. Mohamed ISMAIL – 1

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