Betsy Saina earns top 5 finish in 10K
RIO DE JANIERO – Former Iowa State distance runner and three-time NCAA champion Betsy Saina took fifth place in the women’s 10,000-meter run Friday at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero. Saina finished with a personal best time of 30:07.78.
Running for her home country of Kenya, Saina helped push the pace of a world-record-setting 10K race, won by Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana who set the new world best mark at 29:17.45. Saina ran with the leaders pushing a 14:46 pace through the halfway mark of the race. Ayana took off after lap 12.
Saina’s time is a new personal best for the Eldoret, Kenya native by 50 seconds. Hillary Bor, another former Cyclone, will run the 3,000-meter steeplechase on Monday.
ISU backup QB Noland out for season
AMES – Iowa State backup quarterback Zeb Noland is now out for the season after injuring his knee in a Thursday practice. ISU head coach Matt Campbell didn’t say what exactly the injury was.
Noland, a true freshman, hurt his knee during a non-contact drill, Campbell said. Noland was battling sophomore transfer Jacob Park for the lead backup quarterback spot. Park, a transfer from the University from Georgia, will most likely now be the shoe-in for Joel Lanning’s right hand man.
Noland threw for 1,627 yards and 17 touchdowns at Oconee County High in Georgia last season.