McClintock races to All-American honor

EUGENE, Ore. — Matt McClintock acknowledged he felt nervous prior to the 10-kilometer race at the NCAA Division I Track and Field championships Wednesday night.

“I was a nervous wreck,” said McClintock, an Athens native and Purdue University junior. “I was a wreck. But I was able to settle in and do what I wanted.”

What he wanted, of course, was a top-eight finish that would earn him All-American honors.

And that’s just what McClintock — a Madison Memorial High School graduate — did. McClintock finished in 29 minutes, 16.57 seconds to finish seventh overall and earn first team All-American honors. He just missed sixth place by .02 of a second behind Matt McElroy of Northern Arizona.

The top eight finishers earn All-American honors.

University of Oregon sophomore Edward Cheserek won the race in 28:58.92.

“I thought I could hit one of the spots,” said McClintock. “I honestly thought, at one point, that I was going to finish ninth. I looked up with about 600 (meters) to go and counted where I was, and I thought I was ninth.”

It is the third All-American honor of McClintock’s college career and his first in track and field. He is a two-time All-American in cross country.

McClintock said he worked his way up toward the front with about three and a half laps remaining in the race.

“I just started to pick it up,” he said.

McClintock won the NCAA East Regional 10k two weeks ago and was seeded 10th for Wednesday’s race.

Last month, he became the first Boilermaker ever to win the Big Ten 5k championship and was also the runner-up in the 10k. He was the top Big Ten finisher on Wednesday.