We Speak Track And Field
Illinois’ Sophia Beckmon Wins the Program’s First NCAA Indoor Long Jump National Title
Sophia Beckmon didn’t just win a national title — she opened a door Illinois had never walked through. Beckmon won the NCAA indoor long jump crown with 6.84m (22-5¼) at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, the first indoor field-event national title in Illinois program history.
She is also the first Big Ten woman to win an indoor national title in any of the three major jump events — long jump, high jump or triple jump — and three of her four legal jumps would have won the competition. The title makes her a three-time All-American.
She wasn’t Illinois’ only silver story: JaiCieonna Gero-Holt took second in the pentathlon with a school-record 4,466 points, and Phethisang Makhethe was second in the weight throw with a school-record 24.40m. The Illini women led the team standings with 30 points after day one and finished third overall with 42 points — the highest finish in program history.
We Speak Track And Field
Yehualaw Returns in Valencia as Kwizera Chases Spanish History
Yalemzerf Yehualaw returns from maternity leave in Valencia on Oct. 25, Rodrigue Kwizera chases a first Spanish win, and Kenenisa Bekele is also on the start list.
The Valencia Half Marathon on Sunday, Oct. 25 brings together a returning superstar, a man chasing national history, and one of the greatest distance runners of all time.
Yalemzerf Yehualaw headlines the women’s race in her return from maternity leave. The Ethiopian last raced at the Boston Marathon in April 2025, finishing third in 2:18:06, and her half marathon personal best of 1:03:51 — run on this course in 2021 — makes her the fastest woman in the field. She faces Lisbon champion Tsigie Gebreselama, world road running silver medallist Veronica Loleo and Ftaw Zeray on a course famous for fast times.
The men’s race could produce a first. Rodrigue Kwizera owns the fastest personal best in the field at 58:16, set in Prague earlier this year, and after receiving Spanish citizenship in 2026 he is chasing both the first Spanish men’s victory in Valencia and the Spanish record of 59:39. His training partner Thierry Ndikumwenayo, Andrea Kiptoo, Owen Kapkama, Daniel Ebenyo and 2018 winner Jemal Yimer are all in the field — along with Kenenisa Bekele, the three-time Olympic champion whose appearance alone will draw a crowd.
Britain’s Ben Connor, Charlie Wheeler and Samantha Harrison also feature. The course records — Yomif Kejelcha’s 57:30 and Letesenbet Gidey’s 1:02:52 — were both world records when set, which tells you everything about Valencia’s speed.
Photo: Canadian Running
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