EUGENE, Ore. – Gonzaga's James Mwaura placed 14^th at the United States Track and Field Olympic Trials Friday. He crossed the line at 28:11.89 at Hayward Field.
 
"I was definitely very excited, but also nervous, cause of how good these guys are," Mwaura said.
 
Running for a spot in the 2021 Summer Olympics, Mwaura ran bravely with no fear, jumping out with the front pack at the beginning of the race. At 4,400 meters, he fell to 17^th in the 24-runner field. Just 1,600 meters later, the GU sophomore pushed to the front of the race. He held that lead and was in first with only 2,400 meters left in the race.
 
"The pace was slowing down, and I was just trying to maintain the pace," Mwaura said. "I saw some college guys up at the front and I wanted to help them out after running with them last week. It was windy out there, especially on the back stretch. So, I was really just trying to help people out, while getting a PR at the same time. When I was in the front I was just trying to get noticed. I wanted to see what it felt like to be in the front. Maybe in three years I'll be back in the front and I wanted to get experience now."
 
Mwaura was one of six collegians in the race, and he had the third-best collegiate finish. He finished ahead of eight professional runners. Woody Kincaid (27:53.62), Grant Fisher (27:54.29) and Joe Klecker (27:54.90) placed first, second and third, meeting the Olympic standard and will represent Team USA at the summer games.
 
"Assistant Coach Andrew Gardner and I felt like the racing tactics were perfect for James," Director of GU Track and Field Pat Tyson said. "If you think about this, he just ran 37 and a half laps last week, so in a 10-day window he ran 50 or so laps. And, he held together pretty darn well. We are nothing but proud of him."
 
On June 9, Mwaura shattered his own 10K school record time at 27:50.44 at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene. He placed ninth in the race and was named Second Team All-American, becoming GU's second-ever track All-American. It was his third-ever attempt at the 10K on the track.
 
Mwaura's previous personal best was 28:27.49, ran on May 14 at The Track Meet in Irvine, Calif. That was his first attempt ever on the track at 10,000 meters. The Tacoma, Wash., native, qualified for the 10K national final after placing 10th at the NCAA West Preliminary Round with a time of 29:13.93 in College Station, Texas, on May 26.
 
On June 11, Mwaura was named honorable mention All-American after a 17th-place finish in the 5,000 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. He crossed the line at 13:36.43. He was ranked 24th coming into the 5,000-meter 24-runner field, with the GU all-time best time of 13:36.18. Mwaura ran that school record at Hayward Field at the Oregon Relays on April 23.
 
Mwaura also owns the school's cross country records on 8,000-meter and 10,000-meter courses. As a freshman, he ran a 29:48.9 at the 2018 NCAA West Regionals on the 10K course.
 
"The way I raced, with trials coming up again in three years, I know I can close that gap, and I can fight for a spot at the next Olympics," Mwaura said. "Hopefully I can be one of those guys that makes it."