Florida’s Parker Valby suffered an injury just before the indoor track season and had to sit it out, so going into the SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday, she only had one other opportunity to race and test her fitness. Her coach says her recovery is ahead of schedule, and based on the intensity and effort of the race she won a week ago—a 15:32 solo effort—they knew she could still contend for the title in the 5,000 meters at SECs.
Valby came away with the victory, holding off Mercy Chelangat, a two-time NCAA champion from Alabama, in a dramatic battle, finishing in 15:25.03 to Chelangat’s 15:25:07.
In a race that commentators joked looked like a cross-country race—38 athletes toed the crowded start line—Valby got to the front and was joined by Chelangat and Hilda Olemomoi, also of Alabama. All three athletes were coached by Will and Samantha Palmer this academic year, after the coaching couple moved from Alabama to Florida in the middle of the indoor season.
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Valby led for the majority of the race, slightly favoring one leg. Her lower left leg was in a compression sock with some tape on the back of her knee. “I’m starting a new trend,” she joked after the race with ESPN.
Valby opened up a gap on the Alabama runners, but going down the final stretch, Chelangat closed hard and almost nabbed Valby at the line. “That was scary close,” Valby said in her post-race interview. “I’m glad I leaned, I was like a sprinter!”
Valby told ESPN that she still hasn’t received a diagnosis for her injury during the last three to four months. She hasn’t run in spikes since her last indoor race on February 10, and she’s only run one track workout during that time, making her win on Saturday even more impressive.
Valby came away with the fourth-best performance in the NCAA this season and set a new facility record. She was proud of her contributions to Florida, which finished second to Arkansas in the team title. “I knew that my team needed me, so I’m glad that I could score those points for my team,” she told ESPN.
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Abby Carney is a writer and journalist in New York. A former D1 college runner and current amateur track athlete, she’s written about culture and characters in running and outdoor sports for Runner’s World, Like the Wind Magazine, The New York Times, and other outlets. She also writes about things that have nothing to do with running, and was previously the editor of a food magazine.
