Oklahoma State University Athletics
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NCAA Outdoor Championships
Ryan Smeeton Finishes Season as NCAA Runner-Up
June 07, 2019 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track, Cowgirl Cross Country & Track
AUSTIN—Ryan Smeeton took second place in the 3,000-meter steeplechase final for the Oklahoma State men's track and field team on the third day of competition at the NCAA Outdoor Championships on Friday.
The Cowboys finished the team race tied for 18th. They had only three competitors score a total of 16 points, but placed in the top 20. It's the OSU men's best finish since 2015.
Smeeton finished his race in a time of 8:39.10 and became the first first team All-American at OSU since 1998.
"I saw a guy who wanted to win the national championship," said Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Dave Smith. "He made a move with about 800 meters to go, and it came back to bite him a little bit, and for a while he looked like he was going to fade."
Smeeton ran a controlled race, slowly making his way up through the field as the race went on. He avoided trouble late as Indiana's Daniel Michalski fell on the final water pit and Stanford's Steven Fahy fell over the last hurdle. Smeeton ended up as the runner-up to Fahy.
"He was gusty and resilient," Smith said. "He rallied really well in the last 200 meters. He never gave up, and he put himself into a position to win. He came up .65 seconds short, but had a heck of a run and an incredible season for a guy who was considered an afterthought in NCAA track and field two months ago."
In his second season of competition, Smeeton ran a time of 8:27.90 at the Payton Jordan Invitational to meet the World standard. He is eligible to run at the World Championships in September.
OSU wraps up its season with the women's 1,500 meters' final at 5:41 p.m. on Saturday.
Men's Team Results
1. Texas Tech – 60 points
2. Florida – 50 points
3. Houston – 40 points
T18. Oklahoma State – 16 points
Men's Individual Results
3,000-Meter Steeplechase
2. Ryan Smeeton – 8:39.10
The Cowboys finished the team race tied for 18th. They had only three competitors score a total of 16 points, but placed in the top 20. It's the OSU men's best finish since 2015.
Smeeton finished his race in a time of 8:39.10 and became the first first team All-American at OSU since 1998.
"I saw a guy who wanted to win the national championship," said Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Dave Smith. "He made a move with about 800 meters to go, and it came back to bite him a little bit, and for a while he looked like he was going to fade."
Smeeton ran a controlled race, slowly making his way up through the field as the race went on. He avoided trouble late as Indiana's Daniel Michalski fell on the final water pit and Stanford's Steven Fahy fell over the last hurdle. Smeeton ended up as the runner-up to Fahy.
"He was gusty and resilient," Smith said. "He rallied really well in the last 200 meters. He never gave up, and he put himself into a position to win. He came up .65 seconds short, but had a heck of a run and an incredible season for a guy who was considered an afterthought in NCAA track and field two months ago."
In his second season of competition, Smeeton ran a time of 8:27.90 at the Payton Jordan Invitational to meet the World standard. He is eligible to run at the World Championships in September.
OSU wraps up its season with the women's 1,500 meters' final at 5:41 p.m. on Saturday.
Men's Team Results
1. Texas Tech – 60 points
2. Florida – 50 points
3. Houston – 40 points
T18. Oklahoma State – 16 points
Men's Individual Results
3,000-Meter Steeplechase
2. Ryan Smeeton – 8:39.10
Players Mentioned
Middle Distance
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