Spotlight: Kenya native Edward Cheserek is a 'Rock star'

Two years ago, Edward Cheserek arrived at the airport in Newark, N.J., with nothing but the clothes on his back. He had been sent from an orphanage in Kenya to St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.) for his sophomore year by Stadi Za Maisha, an educational trust. 

"Coming to America was my dream," the 5-foot-7, 130-pound star told MaxPreps.

Today Cheserek is the No. 1 distance runner in the nation and he blushingly concedes that admiring fans call him "Rock Star, or King Cheserek."

He was the first to admit, "I used to be a good runner, but I didn't expect to be that good."



Even though the soft-spoken Cheserek was the 10,000-meter champion of the Great Rift Valley at Kapcherop High School and was a talented midfielder in soccer, when he enrolled at St. Benedict's, coach Marty Hannon told MaxPreps, "We heard he was a runner, but we had no idea how good he was."

It didn't take Hannon long to discover just how good his newcomer was. He liked to work out his cross country team in August by running repeat miles. On a hot, humid day, the newcomer ran six repeat miles in times ranging from 4:30 to 5 minutes each. The coach's standard had been 4:50 to 5:30.

Hannon shouldn't have been too surprised, because Cheserek had been used to running 8,000 meters in Kenya, not the USA distance of 5,000 meters.

Sunday workouts in Holmdel enabled the Graybees to match up with state powerhouse Christian Brothers Academy (Lincroft, N.J.). Hannon recalled, "Edward jumped into these runs and was running with them with no problem. Right after that, Edward got a stress fracture and was out for six weeks."

His first race came in late September and all he did was win the Great American Cross Country Festival in Cary, N.C., for independent schools with a time of 15:24.2. Later he finished second to Jim Rosa of West Windsor-Plainsboro (West Windsor, N.J.) during the Manhattan College Invitational.

The big one was placing second to Illinois superstar Lukas Verzbicas at the Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, Ore. Verzbicas was clocked in 15:59.2, while Cheserek was on his heels in 16:01.5.



"That was a surprise," Hannon said, "because nobody knew about Edward. They were running stride for stride. Lukas opened up a little gap and Edward closed it as the race finished."

During the indoor track season, Hannon and Cheserek were surprised by his fast times in the 800 and mile, because they both had expected longer distances to be his greatest strength. For example, he ran a 4:08.1 mile leg on a distance medley relay.

"The 800 was really good to get my momentum for speed," the Kenya native explained.

Cheserek set a national sophomore indoor record when he ran the 2-mile in 8:42.66 while placing second to Verzbicas (8;40.70) during the New Balance Nationals at the Armory in New York City.

In his first year of track as a sophomore, he ran the 3,000 steeplechase in 9:00.11 - the fastest ever by a 17-year-old - during an open meet against older runners at Princeton University. He said he hopes to lower that record this spring.

Last summer he set a 5,000-meter record (14:25.74) while winning the title during the New Balance Outdoor Nationals in Greensboro, N.C. That meet also produced a personal triumph over Joe Rosa, whom he had beaten in the Nike Cross Nationals.



Running anchor on the distance medley relay, Cheserek said, "I was expecting my team to keep it close so I could win easily."

Though not always being able to keep the first three legs close in some earlier meets, this time his teammate trailed by just 3 seconds when he handed over the baton. Even though Rosa's team was seeded No. 1 and St. Benedict's No. 5, Cheserek blew him away with a brilliant 4:02.30 anchor to give his team an outstanding winning time of 9:51.97.

He placed second during the Dream Mile in New York City - again to Verzbicas - with a national sophomore-record time of 4:03.29. On that occasion Verzbicas broke the coveted 4-minute barrier with a time of 3:59.71.

Cheserek's junior cross country campaign was phenomenal. He won every race, setting course records in all but one. Six of the course records he broke were ones he had set as a sophomore. His eyelash victory over Futsum Zienasellassie of North Central (Indianapolis) during the Foot Locker Nationals in San Diego was one of the greatest prep cross country races in history.

"It was kind of scary," Cheserek said of the Foot Locker race. "(I thought) I was going to die. I tried three times (to get a good lead), but he was right there. I kicked at the end."

Hannon described the legendary race as "pretty amazing. They were stride for stride the whole way. It was just a foot race the last 100 meters."



The winning time was 14:51.5. The second-place time was 14:52.1.

Even before the race, the two had become good friends and that friendship was cemented when the champ graciously asked the runner-up to say a few words after he had accepted his first-place award. They continue to stay in touch when they have time.

During indoor track season, Cheserek set a national 5,000 record (13:57.04) in the Millrose Games. An American and a college record also were set during the open race. He actually lapped the field while winning the 2-mile (8:43.16) during the Stanner Games at the Armory in New York City.

During the New Balance Games he ran the mile in 4:02.12.

With the outdoor campaign just getting underway, he already has set a New Jersey state record by winning the 10,000 in 29:42 during the Sam Howell Invitational at Princeton University. He will run in the Penn Relays this weekend.

Meanwhile, the 18-year-old Cheserek has become a special member of the St. Benedict's family in less than two full years.Hannon says, "He's a quiet kid, but pretty popular. They all know what a rock star he is today."



Athletic director Ed Bendokis adds, "He's probably the nicest kid in school. He's truly what St. Benedict's Prep is all about. He came to America for a shot. He's completely entrenched in the student body. He's a great young man, a joy to be around. He has no ego for the unbelievable success that he's had."

Media director Ron Jandoli has seen Cheserek mature in a short time. Jandoli recalled, "He was like a deer in the headlights when he got here. There was the language barrier, but he's truly funny when you get to know him."

On one occasion he grabbed a teammate for a television reporter when he knew that he was to be the object of the interview. On another occasion he kiddingly told a member of the media, "You know you only want to talk to me if I win."

Cheserek has returned to Kenya twice since coming to America, once due to the death of his father.

He admitted, "I miss my family, my friends and my home country."

He revealed that he plans to return to Kenya this summer to train for his senior year at St. Benedict's. His biggest goal before then is "to win the national championship."



He carries a 2.8 GPA and has heard from such colleges as Oregon, Texas, Oklahoma State, Wisconsin, Iona and Villanova.

Hannon summed up his superstar's future when he said, "I don't like to put undue burdens on kids, but all I can say is that his times beat guys (who have been) in the Olympics."