Why Edward Cheserek Hasn't Won The Bowerman Yet
Why Edward Cheserek Hasn't Won The Bowerman Yet
Edward Cheserek has now made two trips to the Bowerman Awards and he still has nothing to show for it. On Thursday night in San Antonio, college track and f
Edward Cheserek has now made two trips to the Bowerman Awards and he still has nothing to show for it. On Thursday night in San Antonio, college track and fieldÂ’s top honor once again passed over the King, this time in favor of Florida jump man Marquis Dendy.
ItÂ’s crazy to think that a guy whoÂ’s won seven NCAA track titles in his two years has yet to be declared college T&FÂ’s top athlete, but in reality the King has run into a pair of buzzsaws in consecutive years that have taken dominance to an even greater level than he.
In the words of Kim Kardashian’s husband, “what’s a King to a God?”
While Ches has been brilliant, the pair heÂ’s faced at the two end-of-year award shows have been even brilliant-er, primarily because neither has lost an NCAA Championship title in their respective Bowerman campaigns. Cheserek has and heÂ’s been punished for it.
While EC won NCAA titles in the indoor mile and DMR, as well as the outdoor 10k and 5k in 2015, he really never stood a chance tonight against Dendy, who went a perfect 4-for-4 at the NCAA Championships in the long and triple jump indoor and out. Cheserek lost (gave) the indoor 3k to his buddy Eric Jenkins, and when comparing perfect to imperfect, perfect won out per usual. Dendy also had several performances that were among the best in collegiate history, while Cheserek had not a one (the 9:27.02 DMR that would be #3 all-time was run on an oversized track.) This is mostly because the Oregon coaches haven't pushed Cheserek to chase fast times, instead putting the focus on championships, which have been almost entirely tactical with the kick machine Cheserek involved. A lack of all-time marks hurts Cheserek's résumé in relation to the Bowerman.
Even if Dendy hadn't won, it's not even likely that Cheserek would've been the next man up this year. Akron pole vaulter Shawn Barber swept titles indoor and out while also establishing the collegiate record indoor (5.91m) and the #2 mark outdoor (also 5.91m). We'll never know entirely, but this was an incredibly tough year to be Edward Cheserek at the Bowerman regardless.
In 2014, Texas A&M’s Deon Lendore blocked out the King despite the two men both winning the same number of titles— 3 — as the 400m champ put up four marks in the top-10 of NCAA history, including the then indoor 4x4 collegiate record (3:03.20) and the second-fastest outdoor 4x4 ever (2:59.60) in the NCAA final. A frosh Ches “only” hit two top-10 marks— #10 in the 1500 (3:36.50) and #8 in the 5k (13:18.71)— and four beat two as it usually does. The tie-breaker goes to the guy who makes a deeper cut into the record books.
LendoreÂ’s Aggies didnÂ’t win the NCAA indoor 4x4, but that had nothing to do with him as there was a stick drop in the third leg before he ran the anchor. Cheserek barely lost the epic 5k final to Lawi Lalang in 2014, and it made the difference between him winning or losing the Bowerman. LifeÂ’s not fair sometimes.
That same year, Cheserek gave us the epic story of his 60-mile trek to take a test in Kenya, and him not winning after that seemed just plain cruel. 60 miles! To take a test! No Bowerman for you!
Lendore over Cheserek was the right pick nonetheless.
Even though the Bowerman has proved thus far to be the only trophy to elude Cheserek, 2016 (and 2017) will in all likelihood be a different story. Gone are both Dendy and fellow 2015 finalist Shawn Barber, as well as sprint beasts Trayvon Bromell and Andre De Grasse, who are all now pro. Lendore is also getting paid for his services, so despite striking out in his first two seasons, Cheserek has a great opportunity to become the first athlete to win multiple Bowerman trophies in his remaining time at Oregon.
So while itÂ’s weird to watch the King of NCAA distance running not win a coveted trophy, know that this sight wonÂ’t go on forever. In fact, weÂ’ve probably seen Cheserek without the Bowerman for the last time in his career.
Your #Bowerman2015 winner! @CheckTheSky! pic.twitter.com/0CLuSBioZ2
— FloTrack (@FloTrack) December 18, 2015
ItÂ’s crazy to think that a guy whoÂ’s won seven NCAA track titles in his two years has yet to be declared college T&FÂ’s top athlete, but in reality the King has run into a pair of buzzsaws in consecutive years that have taken dominance to an even greater level than he.
In the words of Kim Kardashian’s husband, “what’s a King to a God?”
While Ches has been brilliant, the pair heÂ’s faced at the two end-of-year award shows have been even brilliant-er, primarily because neither has lost an NCAA Championship title in their respective Bowerman campaigns. Cheserek has and heÂ’s been punished for it.
While EC won NCAA titles in the indoor mile and DMR, as well as the outdoor 10k and 5k in 2015, he really never stood a chance tonight against Dendy, who went a perfect 4-for-4 at the NCAA Championships in the long and triple jump indoor and out. Cheserek lost (gave) the indoor 3k to his buddy Eric Jenkins, and when comparing perfect to imperfect, perfect won out per usual. Dendy also had several performances that were among the best in collegiate history, while Cheserek had not a one (the 9:27.02 DMR that would be #3 all-time was run on an oversized track.) This is mostly because the Oregon coaches haven't pushed Cheserek to chase fast times, instead putting the focus on championships, which have been almost entirely tactical with the kick machine Cheserek involved. A lack of all-time marks hurts Cheserek's résumé in relation to the Bowerman.
Even if Dendy hadn't won, it's not even likely that Cheserek would've been the next man up this year. Akron pole vaulter Shawn Barber swept titles indoor and out while also establishing the collegiate record indoor (5.91m) and the #2 mark outdoor (also 5.91m). We'll never know entirely, but this was an incredibly tough year to be Edward Cheserek at the Bowerman regardless.
In 2014, Texas A&M’s Deon Lendore blocked out the King despite the two men both winning the same number of titles— 3 — as the 400m champ put up four marks in the top-10 of NCAA history, including the then indoor 4x4 collegiate record (3:03.20) and the second-fastest outdoor 4x4 ever (2:59.60) in the NCAA final. A frosh Ches “only” hit two top-10 marks— #10 in the 1500 (3:36.50) and #8 in the 5k (13:18.71)— and four beat two as it usually does. The tie-breaker goes to the guy who makes a deeper cut into the record books.
LendoreÂ’s Aggies didnÂ’t win the NCAA indoor 4x4, but that had nothing to do with him as there was a stick drop in the third leg before he ran the anchor. Cheserek barely lost the epic 5k final to Lawi Lalang in 2014, and it made the difference between him winning or losing the Bowerman. LifeÂ’s not fair sometimes.
That same year, Cheserek gave us the epic story of his 60-mile trek to take a test in Kenya, and him not winning after that seemed just plain cruel. 60 miles! To take a test! No Bowerman for you!
Lendore over Cheserek was the right pick nonetheless.
Even though the Bowerman has proved thus far to be the only trophy to elude Cheserek, 2016 (and 2017) will in all likelihood be a different story. Gone are both Dendy and fellow 2015 finalist Shawn Barber, as well as sprint beasts Trayvon Bromell and Andre De Grasse, who are all now pro. Lendore is also getting paid for his services, so despite striking out in his first two seasons, Cheserek has a great opportunity to become the first athlete to win multiple Bowerman trophies in his remaining time at Oregon.
So while itÂ’s weird to watch the King of NCAA distance running not win a coveted trophy, know that this sight wonÂ’t go on forever. In fact, weÂ’ve probably seen Cheserek without the Bowerman for the last time in his career.