Posted: December 2, 2004

Athletics: Saskatchewan star shines bright at NCAA Cross Country Championships

NOVEMBER 30, 2004 OTTAWA – Regina native Simon Bairu conquered muddy conditions and 241 of the best runners in the NCAA to capture the Division 1 Men’s Individual Cross Country championship on Monday. Bairu finished the 10 kilometre course with a time of 30:37.7 and led his University of Wisconsin Badgers to a second place finish in the team standings.

“Coming down the stretch, I was too scared to look back to see who was behind me or how close they were,” said Bairu, the 2001 Canadian national high school champion. “I’m just so happy with the way I ran and still can’t believe I won today.”

Bairu, a 21-year-old junior at UW, was also named Big Ten cross country athlete of the year after winning the Big Ten Conference championships by 10 seconds earlier this month. The Big Ten title was his second consecutive division championship, and coupled with the NCAA championship title, should make him a lock for his second consecutive All American award.

Of note, Michigan State’s Danette Doetzel, a native of Macklin Saskatchewan, and high school teammate of Bairu’s, took home the women’s individual Big Ten cross country title and was named Big Ten cross country female athlete of the year, as well as freshman of the year. Bairu’s coach Jerry Schumacher was named the conference coach of the year. His Wisconsin Badgers won the Big Ten championship for the sixth consecutive year, giving them 24overall, tops in the nation by far.