Solomon Kipchoge is 10 years older than the majority of his classmates. The 29-year-old rising sophomore in college will continue his track and field career at Washington State.
It is a huge get for a program that recently shifted its focus toward a more distance focused roster.
Kipchoge created quite the stir when he announced his decision to compete in track and field on the collegiate level as a 28-year-old freshman at Texas Tech in 2024. The Kenyan runner arrived to the United States with a half marathon time that was already faster than the American record.
The controversy stemmed from his past accomplishments.
He ran a personal best of 59:37 at the Semi-Marathon de Lille 2023, when most of his current competition was still in high school. That was six seconds faster than Ryan Hall’s 59.43 from 2007. (Conner Mantz recently reset the American record in January!)
This was him in 2020:
Although it might seem crazy for a 28-year-old to run against 18-year-olds, 28 is actually the early peak for long-distance runners so Kipchoge can still develop significantly while in college. Is that fair?
Solomon Kipchoge immediately burst onto the scene.
His first (and only) season with the Red Raiders was a great success. Solomon Kipchoge won the Mountain Region Cross Country Championships as a true freshman and the second-place finisher was more than seven years younger.
Habtom finishes as Mountain Region Runner-Up (28:59.2) after an epic battle with Texas Tech's Solomon Kipchoge down the stretch!
— New Mexico XC/T&F (@UNMLoboXCTF) November 15, 2024
Lobo men finish second behind BYU with a 61-point score and secure an automatic bid to next week's NCAA Championships in Madison! pic.twitter.com/yAmM9xisj9
He also finished as the runner-up at the Big 12 Championships, which featured a loaded field. However, Kipchoge did not get a chance to compete at the NCAA Championships as a late scratch.
Transfer time!
Solomon Kipchoge decided to enter the transfer portal after one full year as a collegiate runner. He will be a 29-year-old sophomore during the cross country season in the fall with the Cougars.
Wayne Phipps, Director of Cross Country/Track & Field at Washington State University, officially announced the move earlier this week. His team becomes a legitimate national title contender with the addition of Kipchoge.
It is not often that a well-seasoned veteran with years of experience on the international level falls into your lap. It certainly helps that he prove his ability to compete alongside the best athletes in college track and field while at Texas Tech.
Three years left.
Upon arrival to Pulman, if he’s not there already, Kipchoge will have three years of eligibility remaining across all seasons— cross country, indoor and outdoor. His strong freshman season creates high expectations for the future.
Not only is the 29-year-old expected to be in the mix for a national title in the 10,000-meter in each of the next three years, Washington State could choose to stretch him out for other distances. There is also a possibility that the NCAA will add a half marathon event before his career comes to an end.