Arkansas sweeps SEC cross country titles

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Posted 11:17AM on Tuesday, November 5, 2002

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Arkansas earned its 12th straight men's Southeastern Conference cross country crown since entering the league in 1991 and Christin Wurth led the Arkansas women to their 10th SEC title in 12 years. Wurth was the individual champion in the women's 6K race with a time of 21:04.87, while Alabama's David Kimani won his third consecutive SEC title, completing the 8K course in 24:05.18. Wurth, a senior, and Londa Bevins tore away from the field early and never looked back as their one-two finish led the Lady Razorbacks. "Today was a lot of fun," Wurth said. "It's fun to walk out of here with a win as a senior, but as long as one of us won it really didn't matter." Wurth's individual victory was Arkansas' third consecutive, and she beat the past two champions, her teammates Andreina Byrd (2001) and Lilli Kleinmann (2000). Byrd finished 11th in 22:02 and Kleinmann was 17th in 22:21, the sixth-best Arkansas woman. "I think it just shows how deep our team is," Wurth said. "Any of us could win on any given day." Wurth's previous high finish was second as the SEC runner-up last year and second earlier this season at the Aztec Invitational. The Arkansas women scored 39 points to double second place surprise Kentucky with 78. Tennessee was third at 86 followed by Auburn with 117. The Arkansas men tallied 31 points, with five runners in the top 15 to win their 29th consecutive conference crown. Arkansas captured the final 17 cross country titles in the Southwest Conference before switching leagues. Alabama came in a close second with 52 points. Arkansas junior Alistair Cragg finished second with a time of 24:20 and junior Daniel Lincoln came in third with a time of 24:30. In the beginning both ran steady with Kimani, but he started to break away after the fourth mile. "I didn't like the way I ran. I couldn't get away," Cragg said. "I wasn't all there. David (Kimani) is just stronger and I should have dug deeper." Junior Silverus Kimeli came in fifth with a time of 25:03, sophomore Jason Sandfort was sixth in 25:12 and freshman Luis Bordes ran a career-best 24:44 to take the 15th spot. "It was a win, but it was not pretty," Arkansas coach John McDonnell said. "The guys did not have a good performance, but it was a win. I think they underestimated the course and the heat. They didn't seem to be running with a purpose." McDonnell singled out the freshman for his effort. "Today (Alabama) could have broken that streak, but our eighth man, Luis Bordes, really stepped up to be the fifth man," McDonnell said. "He is a warrior and was so nervous before the race, but I told him, 'smile, try to relax,' and he finished in the top 15." Overall, the Hogs have won a combined 69 conference titles in cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field since McDonnell arrived in Fayetteville. Lady Razorbacks coach Lance Harter was pleased, and not surprised, with his team's results. "Christin has always been there for us, and today she had the chance to step out of the shadows," Harter said. "I think today is the start of Christin getting the chance to fulfill some of the dreams she's had since she's been at Arkansas." Freshman Maureen Scott finished behind Byrd in 12th at 22:04, with redshirt freshmen Erica Sigmont and Shiloh Whiting behind in 13th and 14th. The South Central Regional Championships will be in Waco, Texas on Nov. 16 and the NCAA Cross Country Championships will be on Nov. 25 in Terre Haute, Ind.