This week the United States Track and Field and Cross
Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) awarded Elias Chesire its National
Athlete of the Week honor for the second time this season.
Chesire finished first at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s
(MEAC) Cross Country Championship on Saturday. His performance helped the FAMU
men defend their conference crown and earned him his second consecutive MEAC Cross
Country Outstanding Athlete title.
The junior chemical engineering student from Eldoret, Kenya has
been running for as long as he can remember.
“Running is something you do; it’s normal,” Chesire said
about running in Kenya.
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.
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.”