media_artricles :: 2014

Vote Lendore for Bowerman Trophy

T&T’s Deon Lendore, now one of the most recognisable faces in American collegiate track and field following an illustrious 2014 NCAA indoor and outdoor 400m double, needs one thing to top his season off—the Bowerman Award.

The Bowerman Trophy is the highest accolade awarded to the year’s best student athlete in track and field. Lendore now holds a lead over two long distance runners, Edward Cheserek of Oregon and Arizona’s Lawi Lalang, the two other finalists for the Bowerman Trophy.

Lendore reached to the summit of recognition by the United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), the host of the award, after he claimed the 400m (US) national title at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships in 45.21 seconds and the 400m title at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships in 45.02 seconds.

He also anchored the Aggies for its 4x400m relay title which is won in a meet-record 2:59.60 with a split of 44.11 seconds, after he ran a then-world-leading 44.90 in his 2014 outdoor 400 metres debut at the Arizona State Sun Angel Classic.

In total, Lendore went undefeated in the 400m distance this season, winning 14 races and eight finals. He remains the only US collegiate runner to have dipped under 45 seconds outdoors this season, which he did twice in three finals.

Meanwhile, Cheserek and Lalang shared titles as the fastest long distance college runners. Cheserek won the 10,000m title at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships, and both the 3,000 and 5,000 metres titles at the Division I Indoor Championships, while Lawi Lalang of Arizona won the 5,000m title at the Division I Indoor Championships in a meet-record 13:18.36.

He also finished runner-up in the mile and 5,000m at the NCAA Division I Indoor Championships.

The total vote from fans will count as just one in the overall voting process, with media, statisticians, administrators and coaches all also having one vote each in the overall result.

Voting can be done online at thebowerman.com.

Fans’ voting will close on August 12 and the final result will be kept secret until December 17 when the Bowerman Trophy Awards Show is held in Phoenix, Arizona.

The Bowerman was first awarded in 2009 and is presented annually by the USTFCCCA to the most outstanding male and female collegiate track and field athletes based in the US.

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