# Kirubel Erassa

Kirubel Erassa (born June 17, 1993) is an Ethiopian-born American middle- and long-distance runner. Kirubel was a silver medalist in 3000 meters at the 2014 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships and seven-time All-American in NCAA Division 1 track and field.

## Early life

Erassa attended Grayson High School and was a national elite high school runner there. He earned spot on the 2009 Foot Locker Cross Country Championships team. He also ran in the 2010 adidas Jim Ryun Boys Dream Mile at the New York Diamond League in June. At the 2010 Nike Indoor Nationals, Erassa placed first in the 5000 meters and was runner-up in the mile run.
In his junior year, Erassa earned the Georgia AAAAA state championship in 1600 metres and competed at the Nike Outdoor Nationals. He took the Georgia AAAAA state championship in cross country and 1600 metres as a senior, as well as being the 3200 metres runner-up.

## Oklahoma State University
### Track and field

In his first year in collegiate track and field he placed third in the mile at the Big 12 Conference indoor championships and ninth in the 3000 m. At the regional outdoor championships he was only tenth in the 5000 m, but managed fourth in the 1500 meters.
He won the Big 12 Conference outdoor championship in the 5000 m in his second year and also was the 3000 m runner-up at that level. He gained NCAA All-American honours in the indoor mile and outdoor 5000 m (ninth place) that year.
He placed in the top three of all his events at Big 12 Conference championship in his junior year. Indoors he was runner-up in the mile and third in the 3000 m, then outdoors he took second place in the 1500 m and third in the 5000 m. At the NCAA championships he was sixth in the distance medley relay, third over 3000 m and 18th in the 5000 m.
In his final year at Oklahoma state he took a clean sweep of Big 12 Conference titles, including the mile, 3000 m and 5000 m indoors and a 5000/10,000 meters double outdoors. In his last appearance at the NCAA Men's Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships Kirubel was the 3000 m runner-up and also earned All American honours in the distance medley relay.
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
| 2011 | Big 12 Conference Track and Field Indoor Championships | Nebraska-Devaney Center Lincoln, Nebraska | 3rd | Mile | 4:08.79 |
| 2011 | Big 12 Conference Track and Field Indoor Championships | Nebraska-Devaney Center Lincoln, Nebraska | 9th | 3000 metres | 8:14.51 |
| 2012 | Big 12 Conference Track and Field Indoor Championships | Texas A&M Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium College Station, Texas | 2nd | 3000 metres | 8:02.98 |
| 2012 | Big 12 Conference Track and Field Indoor Championships | Texas A&M University Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium College Station, Texas | 8th | Mile | 4:07.35 |
| 2012 | NCAA Division 1 Track and Field Indoor Championships | Boise State University Jackson's Track Nampa, Idaho | 10th | Mile | 4:04.36 |
| 2012 | Big 12 Conference Track and Field Outdoor Championships | Kansas State University RV Christian Track Manhattan, Kansas | 10th | 5000 metres | 14:17.67 |
| 2012 | Big 12 Conference Track and Field Outdoor Championships | Kansas State University RV Christian Track Manhattan, Kansas | 4th | 1500 metres | 3:43.99 |
| 2013 | Big 12 Conference Track and Field Indoor Championships | Iowa State University Leid Rec Center Ames, Iowa | 3rd | 3000 metres | 8:04.54 |
| 2013 | Big 12 Conference Track and Field Indoor Championships | Iowa State University Leid Rec Center Ames, Iowa | 2nd | Mile | 4:02.02 |
| 2013 | NCAA Division 1 Track and Field Indoor Championships | University of Arkansas Randall Tyson Track Fayetteville, Arkansas | 6th | Distance Medley Relay | 9:35.55 |
| 2013 | NCAA Division 1 Track and Field Indoor Championships | University of Arkansas Randall Tyson Track Fayetteville, Arkansas | 3rd | 3000 meters | 7:49.17 |
| 2013 | Big 12 Conference Track and Field Outdoor Championships | Waco Hart-Patterson Track Waco, Texas | 1st | 5000 metres | 13:53.53 |
| 2013 | NCAA Division 1 Track and Field Outdoor Championships | Hayward Field Eugene, Oregon | 9th | 5000 metres | 14:00.31 |
| 2014 | Big 12 Conference Track and Field Indoor Championships | Iowa State University Leid Rec Center Ames, Iowa | 1st | Mile | 4:15.94 |
| 2014 | Big 12 Conference Track and Field Indoor Championships | Iowa State University Leid Rec Center Ames, Iowa | 1st | 3000 metres | 7:53.53 |
| 2014 | Big 12 Conference Track and Field Indoor Championships | Iowa State University Leid Rec Center Ames, Iowa | 1st | 5000 metres | 14:11.29 |
| 2014 | NCAA Division 1 Track and Field Indoor Championships | Albuquerque Convention Center Albuquerque, New Mexico | 12th | Distance Medley Relay | 10:01.56 |
| 2014 | NCAA Division 1 Track and Field Indoor Championships | Albuquerque Convention Center Albuquerque, New Mexico | 2nd | 3000 meters | 8:13.08 |
| 2014 | Big 12 Conference Track and Field Outdoor Championships | Texas Tech University Lubbock, Texas | 3rd | 5000 metres | 14:46.51 |
| 2014 | Big 12 Conference Track and Field Outdoor Championships | Texas Tech University Lubbock, Texas | 2nd | 1500 metres | 3:55.01 |
| 2014 | NCAA Division 1 Track and Field Outdoor Championships | Hayward Field Eugene, Oregon | 18th | 5000 meters | 14:12.98 |
| 2015 | Big 12 Conference Track and Field Outdoor Championships | Iowa State University Ames, Iowa | 1st | 5000 metres | 14:24.98 |
| 2015 | Big 12 Conference Track and Field Outdoor Championships | Iowa State University Ames, Iowa | 1st | 10,000 metres | 28:50.41 |
| 2015 | NCAA Division 1 Track and Field Outdoor Championships | Hayward Field Eugene, Oregon | DNF | 5000 meters | DNF |

### Cross country

In his freshman year at Oklahoma state he placed seventh in the Big 12 Conference cross country, then improved to second place the following year, in which Oklahoma State Cowboys took the team title. His 102nd place finish at the 2012 NCAA Men's Division I Cross Country Championship also helped his school to the NCAA team title. He was the winner of the Big 12 Conference race in his third year.
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
| 2012 | Big 12 Conference Cross Country Championships | Austin, Texas | 7th | 8000 metres | 24:06 |
| 2012 | 2012 NCAA Men's Division I Cross Country Championship | E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park Louisville, Kentucky | 102nd | 10,000 metres | 30:44.7 |
| 2013 | Big 12 Conference Cross Country Championships | Waco, Texas | 2nd | 8000 metres | 22:53.9 |
| 2013 | 2013 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships | Indiana State University Terre Haute, Indiana | 83rd | 10,000 metres | 31:10.1 |
| 2014 | Big 12 Conference Cross Country Championships | Rim Rock Farm Lawrence, Kansas | 1st | 8000 metres | 24:08.2 |
| 2014 | 2014 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships | Indiana State University Terre Haute, Indiana | 69th | 10,000 metres | 31:15.6 |

## International
### 2012

He was named USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week on 11 January 2012 as a result of his victory in the junior men’s 6 km race at the Great Edinburgh International Cross Country. He was the only American individual winner and led the American junior men to a team title.

### 2016

Kirubel Erassa placed 26th at the 2016 Great Edinburgh International Cross Country Senior 8 km race. Erassa ran 4:04.5 placed 7th on the road at the 2016 Grandma's Minnesota Mile on September 11th.

### USA National Championships

| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
| 2012 | Junior USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 1st | 5000 metres | 14:28.00 |
| 2015 | USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Eugene, Oregon | DNS | 1500 metres | |
| 2015 | USA Club Cross Country Championships | San Francisco, California | 7th | 10,000 metres | 29:38 |
| 2016 | USATF National Club Cross Country Championships | Tallahassee, Florida | 41st | 10,000 metres | 30:23 |