Men's Track & Field 5/28/2016 10:11:00 PM

BAHREINI FROM STARS BECOMES FIRST THREE-TIME NAIA MARATHON CHAMPION

Senior from Edmond, Okla., completes college career as 10-time all-American in cross country, track & field

Arya Bahreini becomes the first-ever three-time NAIA marathon winner.

GULF SHORES, Ala. – Arya Bahreini of Oklahoma City University won his third consecutive NAIA marathon race at the 2016 NAIA Men's Track & Field Championships Saturday at the Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium in the Gulf Shores Sports Complex.
Bahreini, a senior from Edmond, Okla., finished the 26.2-mile race with a time of two hours, 33 minutes and 39.50 seconds. The finish gave Bahreini his seventh career track all-American award and supplied the Stars with 10 points.
In the team standings, Oklahoma City finished 16th place with 19 points.
"Obviously, Arya's run today in the marathon was the highlight for the program," OCU head coach Conor Holt said. "It brings an end to a great running career that Arya has had at OCU. Ten all-American certificates, three individual titles and three cross country team championships. What more can I say?"
Bahreini became the only runner in NAIA history to win three national marathon championships. There are seven individuals with two championships.
The 10,000-meter final Thursday brought Bahreini's sixth career track all-American accolade as he placed fourth with a time of 30:47.05. David Mountford, a junior from Shotton, Wales, followed in eighth place at 31:53.19. Bahreini scored five points for OCU, while Mountford added one point.
The Stars' Mackenzie Wahpepah-Harris and Michael Vercoe-Curtis grabbed all-American honors in the 1,500-meter race as they finished back-to-back in seventh and eighth place, respectively. Wahpepah-Harris, a junior from Norman, Okla., crossed at 3:57.87, while Vercoe-Curtis, a senior from Kelston, Auckland, New Zealand, followed with a time of 3:58.56. Both runners earned their fourth career track all-American nod. The finishes combined to give the Stars three points.
Dylan Smith-Sutton, a senior from Midwest City, Okla., also competed in the marathon and finished in 24th place with a time of 2:59:17.10.
Temperatures sat in the low 80s on Saturday with wind up to 14 mph.
Results

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Players Mentioned

Arya Bahreini: Senior

David Mountford: Junior

Dylan Smith-Sutton: Senior

Michael Vercoe-Curtis: Senior

Mackenzie Wahpepah-Harris: Junior

Players Mentioned

Arya Bahreini
: Senior

David Mountford
: Junior

Dylan Smith-Sutton
: Senior

Michael Vercoe-Curtis
: Senior

Mackenzie Wahpepah-Harris
: Junior