HUTCHINSON, Kan. – NIACC sophomore Wal Khat is a national champion, again.
Khat claimed his second NJCAA national title Saturday at Gowans Stadium, this time in the 800-meter run at the outdoor national meet.
Khat won in a time of 1 minute, 53.50 seconds running out of the third and final heat. Meridan’s Tim Hoodlebrink, running out of heat 2, was second in 1:54.11 and Stephen Marindich of Cloud County, running in the third heat, was third in 1:54.63.
The prelims of the 800 were originally scheduled for Friday afternoon, but severe weather in the area ended the Friday portion of the meet. So events with prelims that did not get run on Friday were switched to finals only based on time Saturday.
Khat , who also won the NJCAA national indoor title in the 800 in March, became the first NIACC male track and field athlete to win two national titles.
Khat signed a national letter of intent in April to run cross country and track and field at the University of Northern Iowa.
NIACC’s Anna Buenneke and Tanesha Edmond also own two national titles. Buenneke won the 3,000 and 5,000 at the national indoor meet in 2011 and Edmond won the high jump and heptathlon at the national outdoor meet in 2012.
NIACC finished in 20th place in the men’s team race with 10 points.
NIACC’s national champions
FEMALE
2008 – Marin Thorson (outdoor discus) 157-4
2011 – Anna Buenneke (indoor 3,000) 10:29; Buenneke (indoor 5,000) 18:35.
2012 – Tanesha Edmond (outoor high jump) 5-8 3/4; Edmond (outoor heptathlon) 4,755 points.
2014 – Sharon Toako (outdoor javelin) 138-10.
MALE
2017 – Wal Khat (indoor 800) 1:51.78; Khat (outoor 800) 1:53.50.
