Gatien Airiau went out a
national champion in his final week of collegiate racing. At the 2018 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field National Championships in Charlotte, the graduate student finished his career with the fastest time in the 3000m steeplechase, marking his first track & field All-American honor.
After
winning his prelim heat the day prior with a 9:04.20, Airiau headed into Friday's final ranked fifth overall. Then, in a race that was tightly bunched throughout with plenty of jockeying and even bloody legs, Airiau remained in the top three for the entirety of the 3000m steeplechase final. He moved into first by the 600m mark, briefly dropped to third by 2200m, but after stepping on the gas in the final 600m, he had an incredible finish. The Sassenage, France native unleashed a thrilling 62-second close over the last 400m, fending off Chico State's Kyle Medina for an 8:47.99 across the finish line.
"What a time to be alive!" said Airiau. "I just stayed relaxed and executed the way I wanted to throughout. Down the stretch, I could feel Kyle Medina and others, but it reminded me of a scenario I faced at the PacWest Championships so I knew I could push from 600 out and that I would be strong enough to hold it. I've done it so many times in practice; recognizing those important checkpoints like the bell and final water jump, then I just gave it everything I had at the end."
"When Gas came to ART U, one of the things he said he wanted to work on was his kick," said director of track & field/cross country Torrey Olson. "He worked hard on it this year and before the race we talked about how he was prepared to run the final however it played out. That let him trust his instincts and focus on competing. I am so proud of how he ran and that he will finish his collegiate career as a national champion."
