Habtom Samuel Wins Men's 10K Final for First NCAA Title, Lobos' First Since 2019

EUGENE, Ore. – In his first year at New Mexico, it seemed Habtom Samuel had accomplished nearly everything a collegiate distance runner can do heading into this week’s NCAA Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field, save for one: winning an individual NCAA title.

The Eritrean-born freshman had come close on the big stage all year – he finished as the National Runner-Up at 2023 NCAA XC Championships before placing fourth in the 5,000m and seventh in the 3,000m at 2024 NCAA Indoor Championships, earning First Team All-American honors three times over but coming up short of an individual crown by less than six seconds in each.

But that elusive final box can be checked now. Habtom Samuel is your 2024 NCAA 10,000m National Champion.

It certainly didn’t happen without some drama. After entering this week as the heavy favorite with a personal best that ranks No. 2 in NCAA history, Samuel left nothing to chance with a gritty finish in the Men’s 10,000m Final Wednesday night at NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, rallying down the final lap after a late fall dropped him back to go from fifth to first before holding off Alabama’s Victor Kiprop (28:08.59) down the stretch for the win. Amid a collision that sent him to the ground and could’ve knocked him out of contention, he popped right back up and posted a 58.16-second split over the final 400m as he surged to retake the lead for good, moving from distant third to runaway winner over the final 200m to seal the deal emphatically.

“Two laps to go I’m falling down, and I’m so scared,” said Samuel when asked about the collision after the race. “But I closed the gap and I won the race, so I’m so happy today.”

“I’m lucky,” he said, noting that if he had hurt his leg he would’ve been out of the running. “When I’m falling down, I’m thinking many things in my mind — can I close the gap right now?

As it turned out, he very well could. Deep underlying grit melted into jubilation for Samuel as crossed the finish line in 28:07.82 to become the first UNM athlete to win an NCAA outdoor individual title since Weini Kelati won the women’s 10,000m in 2019 and first man to do it for the Lobos since Josh Kerr (1500m, 2017). He’s just the eighth man in program history to win an NCAA Individual Championship — he and Kerr are the only two to win one in the 21st century.

Already the UNM program record holder in the 10,000m, Samuel’s also the first male Lobo athlete to win an NCAA title in that distance. It’s the fourth First Team All-American honor of his freshman season alone, with a chance to secure a fifth should he finish in the Top Eight in Friday’s 5,000m Final.

“After falling over and dusting himself off, to get up and win shows Habtom’s grit, resilience and desire,” said UNM Head Coach Darren Gauson after Samuel became his first athlete to win an individual NCAA championship. “To see him win his first NCAA title like that was all the more impressive.”

Earlier in the morning on Wednesday, Samuel said that tonight’s 10,000m Final was “a good chance to change my life”. Consider it done.

Even though it was for from a wire-to-wire win, Samuel’s status as the heavy favorite loomed large over the majority of the race — as he took the lead to open things up with the fastest first 400m (1:04.44) and ran sub-68 on his first seven laps. Refusing to do all the work, he intentionally dropped back to compel the runners behind him to set the pace until the late movement in the pack and ensuing collision forced his hand.

“My plan was to break the championship record [27:41.87],” Samuel said. “So that’s why I’m starting with 66-67 [400m splits] until 3K.

“But the guys can’t help me — I said oh, let me stop and just go for [the] win … I join the group, follow the guys and sometimes I help them.”

Even with the fall, Samuel’s time was his fastest in an NCAA meet this season — he’s now won five finals races in a row dating back April 19. He’ll put that streak to the test on Saturday as he looks to become only the third male athlete in the last 10 years to win both the 10,000m and 5,000m in the same season (Ky Robinson, Stanford, 2023; Edward Cheserek, Oregon, 2016).

UP NEXT / FOLLOW THE ACTION
Samuel’s stay in Eugene isn’t over just yet – he will return for the final collegiate race of his freshman season in the men’s 5,000m Final on Friday, set to get underway at 8:55 p.m. MT.

All of this week’s action at Hayward Field will be broadcast via ESPN2, with online streaming available via ESPN+ as well – head to GoLobos.com/TrackResults for all of this week’s live results and streaming links all in one place. Follow @UNMLoboXCTF on Instagram and X for live coverage, meet day content and more.

THE YEAR OF HABTOM
Since the 2023-24 season, Samuel has racked up accomplishments at a pace unseen by any true freshman in UNM history. He’ll add his first NCAA individual title to an already-lengthy list of achievements:

• 2023 Mountain West Athlete of the Year (XC)
• NCAA Runner of the Week (XC)
• USTFCCCA Mountain Region Athlete of the Year (XC)
• Mountain West Champion (XC)
• NCAA Mountain Region Champion (XC)
• NCAA Championship Runner-Up (XC)
• Mountain West Championship Record Holder (XC)
• UNM Program Record Holder – 5,000m, 3,000m, Mile (Indoor)
• Fastest collegiate mile ever ran at the Albuquerque Convention Center (3:59.12)
• 11th-Fastest 5,000m time in NCAA History (Indoor)
• Mountain West Championship Performer of the Meet (Indoor)
• Mountain West Championship Record Holder – 5,000m, 3,000m (Indoor)
• Mountain West Champion – 5,000m, 3,000m (Indoor)
• USTFCCCA First Team All-American – 5,000m, 3,000m (Indoor)
• No. 2 10,000m time in NCAA History (Outdoor)
• 2024 Mountain West Indoor Track Athlete of the Year
• Mountain West Champion — 1500m, 5,000m (Outdoor)