TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — It wasn’t supposed to end this way for Jenny Barringer.
The fifth-year Colorado senior, a 2008 Olympian, turned down opportunities to turn professional last summer for the chance to win the NCAA cross country title that narrowly eluded her twice before.
It didn’t happen Monday.
An overwhelming favorite, Barringer collapsed midway through the 6-kilometer race, eventually finishing 163rd overall at the Division I cross country championships, at 21 minutes, 46.9 seconds.
“I really don’t know what happened,” said Barringer, a four-time NCAA champion in track. “I definitely remember having Susan (Kuijken) on my shoulder, but then going light-headed and thinking I don’t know exactly how to run anymore. I just lost my head and didn’t feel good. The next thing I knew I was on the ground and I was thinking, ‘Is this really happening? Is this a race?’ I think I was just kind of delirious.”
Barringer was checked out in the medical tent after the race. She was cleared to return home with the team. Colorado coach Mark Wetmore said it was a credit to her character that she finished the race.
“She’s had a lot of great races for us and probably was bound to have one not-so-great one,” Wetmore said. “There’s been an awful lot of pressure and expectation, with people wanting little pieces of her in the last six months.”
Barringer started the race fast with Florida State’s Kuijken, buzzing through the first mile in 5:02. Both runners looked strong as they traded the lead and built a five-second lead on the chase pack near the halfway mark. But as Kuijken began to surge again, Barringer suddenly broke her stride and slowed before eventually tumbling to the ground.
She got up and started running again, but by then dozens of runners had zipped past her.
Kuijken was caught in the final 800 meters by Illinois senior Angela Bizzarri and Washington sophomore Kendra Schaaf. Bizzarri ran away down the stretch, winning by nearly five seconds in 19:46.8.
Other top finishers with Colorado connections included Fort Collins’ Katie Follett, who finished 23rd for third-place Washington, and Colorado State’s Kristen Hemphill, who finished 128th in 21:30.
The CU men finished sixth in the 10K race, thanks in part to strong efforts from sophomore Christian Thompson (44th, 30:25), junior Richard Medina (57th, 30:31) and sophomore Andrew Wacker (70th, 30:37).
