By FAMU Sports Information Intern Morgan Culler
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Oct.29) – The Florida A&M Men's Cross Country team won their second consecutive MEAC Championship and fourth overall this Saturday in Princess Anne, M.d.
One week after being named the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Athlete of the Week and MEAC athlete of the week, Elias Chesire showed the conference how he earned these titles.
Chesire finished first on Saturday and earned MEAC Cross Country Championship Outstanding Performer honors after running a time of 25:04.00. The feat also earned him his second consecutive National Athlete of the Week from the USTFCCCA.
A junior chemical engineering student from Eldoret, Kenya, Chesire has been running for as long as he can remember. “Running is something you do; it's normal,” Chesire said about running in Kenya.
When Chesire came to Florida A&M in 2011 he was ranked fourth in the MEAC. However, a year later in 2012, he moved his way up into the first place position.
This is the second time this year Chesire has been named MEAC athlete of the week and in 2012, Chesire received MEAC Athlete of the week four times in a row.
Finding out about his USTFCCCA honor was a surprise to Chesire. “I thought to myself, 'anything is possible to get to that level,'” explained Chesire.
According to Chesire, being looked at on a national level makes him feel as if he can do better at running. “It gives me that much more faith to run,” he explained.
After winning the Florida State Invitational and breaking the course record, Chesire's coach, Wayne Angel, couldn't help but express his excitement for his nationally recognized athlete.
“This never happened here at this university,” explained Angel. “This is a first. This young man has a lot of firsts.”
While Chesire has accumulated several accolades in his three years at FAMU, Angel said Chesire remains modest. “He's one heck of a leader,” said Angel. “He's very humble and that's what I like about him. He's just Elias Chesire. In a word, he's a team player.”
Chesire and the FAMU Rattlers will continue to strike as their road does not end here. Up next for the Rattlers is the Regional Championship on November 15.
