Running young gun Ky Robinson has become the first Australian male to win an NCAA title over 10,000 metres, executing a phenomenal surge with just over a lap remaining to clinch victory in his Stanford University singlet on Thursday (AEST).
At the NCAA outdoor track and field championships, held in Austin, Texas, Robinson charged ahead of the lead pack with about 500 metres to go and held off Stanford teammate Charles Hicks to win in 28:10.96.
In an amazing display of his finishing power, the 21-year-old from Brisbane clocked 1:57 for the final 800 metres and 54.19 for the last lap.
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“With 500 metres to go there was still a big pack of us. I could feel some people were looking a little bit tired, and I felt great, so I made that move to the front and from there on in just had to hope I had the strength to hold it and just keep on fighting those demons, fighting those demons and keeping them at bay,” Robinson said.
“I got to the last 100 (metres), saw the big screen, I looked up and just saw Charles on my shoulder and myself, and it just felt like practice, those last reps of the workouts when it’s the two of us … It’s just sprinting in. I just thought, ‘One of us … Who wants it the most?’, and thankfully I had that extra half step.”
Robinson admitted to surprising himself in the race.
“Realistically, I didn’t necessarily expect the 10 (kilometres) was my event,” he said.
“More of five (kilometres), more of the short stuff, a few 1500 (metres) this year … and they felt good.
“But thankfully I had those wheels on that last lap and was able to make it happen.”
Robinson said it felt “spectacular” for he and Hicks to be the first two home.
“We work together, we train together, we live just down the hall from each other, and so we’re best friends both on the track and off the track,” Robinson said.
“To have someone your age and your best friend up there with you, and to finish one and two — it’s fantastic. Couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Robinson became the 19th Australian in history to win an NCAA title.
At the world cross-country championships in Bathurst in February, he finished 23rd in the men’s senior race to be the first Australian home.
Robinson contested the 5000 metres at the world championships in Eugene last year, as well as the 10,000 metres at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
He’s hoping to make his Olympics debut at the 2024 Paris Games.
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