Washington State University Athletics
Kipchoge Wins 5k to Start MPSF Championships
March 01, 2026 | Track & Field
Reno, Nevada – Cougars sweep top five of Men's 5000m as they get underway at the MPSF Championships in Reno, Nevada. Solomon Kipchoge won the Men's 5k with Evans Kurui finishing only a second behind. The relay team of Biwott, Graham, Evenson, Longisa won the DMR, finishing five seconds ahead of the second place team.
Kipchoge won the Men's 5k after a competitve battle with his teammate, Evans Kurui. Kipchoge started the race behind his teammate and stayed their for a majority of the race. In the final few laps he made his push and finished a second ahead of Kurui. Kipchoge finished in 13 minutes and 46.43 seconds while Kurui finished in 13 minutes and 47.61 seconds. Josphat Meli finished in third with an impressive time of 14 minutes and 15.70 seconds. Senior Muhammed Ahmed and Junior Ku Stevens rounded out the top five for the Cougs with times of 14 minutes and 18 seconds.
The relay team of Mercy Biwott, Lashanna Graham, Daphne Evenson, and Rosemary Longisa finished first in the Women's DMR with a time of 11 minutes and 31.83 seconds. Mercy Biwott started the race off in the 1200m with the top of the pack. Lashanna Graham ran a good 400m to keep the Cougs in the race. Evenson kept it competive when she finished the 800m and Longisa went from seventh to first to win the race for the Cougs.
In the Women's 5k, Caroline Jepkorir set a personal best time of 17 minutes and 0.48 seconds, finishing in fourth. Kylah Madariaga finished six-hundreths of a second behind her teammate, good for fifth place.
The Cougs ended their first day in Reno with a third place finish in the Men's DMR. The Verges brothers, Kade Brownell, and Ku Stevens finished in 10 minutes and 5.69 seconds.
The Cougs will continue at the MPSF Championships tomorrow starting at 9 am.
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MPSF Championships — Sunday Results
Women's 5000m
Caroline Jepkorir, 17:00.48, 4th [PR]
Kylah Madariaga, 17:00.54, 5th
Vicody Chepngetich, 17:22.33, 9th
Taylor Sletner, 17:48.78, 13th
Men's 5000m
Solomon Kipchoge, 13:46.43, 1st
Evans Kurui, 13:47.61, 2nd
Josphat Meli, 14:15.70, 3rd
Muhammed Ahmed, 14:18.02, 4th
Kutoven Stevens, 14:18.39, 5th
Eric Swedin, 15:04.85, 9th
Leo Cook, 15:27.85, 13th
Women's DMR
Biwott, Graham, Evenson, Longisa, 11:31.83, 1st
Men's DMR
Verges, Verges, Brownell Stevens, 10:05.69, 3rd














