KJCCC Cross Country Runners of the Week - Week 5

COLBY, Kan. – Top times at the 2024 Chile Pepper Festival in Fayetteville, AR from Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference runners Faith Jepchirchir (Hutchinson) and Emmanuel Otim (Butler) have led to KJCCC Cross Country Runners of the Week awards for week five of the 2024 season.

Faith Jepchirchir (Hutchinson) – After 40 years of no sub-18 minute times, Blue Dragon freshman Faith Jepchirchir obliterated the Hutchinson women's cross country record at 5,000 meters with a time of 17:08.1 at the Arkansas Chili Pepper Festival in Fayetteville, AR. Jepchirchir placed 21st in the Chili Pepper, shattering the old Blue Dragon 5K record by 1 minute and 4 seconds. She was one of three Blue Dragon runners to run sub-18 minutes on Saturday. Jepchirchir has one event win this season.

Emmanuel Otim (Butler) – Otim was the highest overall NJCAA finisher in the McDonnell Memorial 8k at the Chile Pepper Cross Country festival in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He finished seventh out of 273 runners. The time of 24:00.9 was a personal best for Otim this season. He led the Grizzlies to a seventh-place team finish as the Grizzlies were the highest-finishing NJCAA squad.

Other Women’s Runners Nominated:
Elizabeth Hernandez - Butler

Other Men’s Runners Nominated:
Dennis Cheruiyot - Hutchinson