276 athletics laying a foundation Freshman runner begins career strong with two national championships Junior Alexandra Hurst hands-off the baton to sophomore Dia Gibson in a relay run at the Bison Invitational April 5, 2008. The Lady Bisons ended the year with a trip to the NCAA Championships. Craig Rainbolt Senior high jumper Brian Howard leaps skyward and leans back to clear the bar at the Bison Invitational April 5, 2008. Howard finished second in the event by clearing a height of 6’4”. Craig Rainbolt During his high school years in Kenya, sophomore Daniel Kirwa’s focus was on two things: running and his studies. After graduating, he came to Harding to run on the track team. In his first season competing last spring, Kirwa not only qualified for Nationals, but he also came away with the title of national champion. Though Kirwa’s quick success on the track made these accomplishments look easy, he was quick to note the difficulty of such feats. “Sometimes the body’s not willing but the spirit is willing and says, ‘let’s go,’ ” Kirwa said. “That is the mark of a real champion.” Kirwa understood the dedication and perseverance it took to accomplish what he did. “No pain, no reward” was what he and his teammates would tell one another to help motivate each other. Track and Cross Country Coach Steve Guymon, too, was always pushing him to be better. “Daniel wasn’t eligible his first year here, so it was difficult to not participate and still stay motivated,” Guymon said. “He wasn’t going after any meets or championships, but he still stayed focused.” Despite these challenges, Kirwa still found motivation within himself. “I encouraged him at practice, but he’s highly self-motivated,” Guymon said. “As he became eligible [to compete], he gained more confidence as he began winning.” Kirwa underwent difficult training throughout the 2008 season to prepare for nationals. The team ran up to three times a day, depending on when their next competition was, and also lifted weights in the gym. Kirwa said the competition at invitational meets was like “pre-nationals” and helped prepare him mentally for what was to come. He attributed his coach and teammates for helping him stay calm during events. While many qualifiers ran only single events, Kirwa ran in both the 5K where he took second place, and the 10K, where he won by a margin of almost 10 seconds. Those races put him at over 50 laps on a 400-meter track in three days. Kirwa reveled in his experience at nationals and was encouraged by the support of his teammates and coach. “Daniel’s confidence and maturity level have improved a lot,” Guymon said. “When you’re that good that early, you have to deal with a lot of things at once. He’s still learning about racing and getting smarter. He works hard in practice and knows when to really push it come race time.” Kirwa’s rise as a national champion was not an easy one. He gave credit to God for giving him strength, to his coach who helped him prepare physically and mentally, to his teammates who were always pushing and motivating him and to his family and friends for their prayers. Earning the title of national champion meant a lot to Kirwa. “It makes you want more,” he said. “It is a big accomplishment that we as runners dream about.” Joseph Dickerson and Rachel Klemmer
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