USA's Cole Sprout wins NACAC U23 Championships 5000m title

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (July 21) - American runner Cole Sprout cruised to victory in the U23 men's 5000m at the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) U18 and U23 Championships on Friday, breaking the championship record with a time of 14:11.78.

Sprout's performance shattered the previous record of 14:32.90, set by Mexico's Diego Borrego back in 2010. This impressive feat occurred at the San Jose National Stadium, marking the highlight of the championship's opening day.

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Earlier this month, the Stanford junior placed 16th at the 2023 USATF Outdoor Championships in Oregon. But Sprout rebounded from that performance with a commanding show of skill and stamina in Costa Rica, cementing his reputation as one of America's rising track talents.

Coming in second was Hector Pagan of Puerto Rico, the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games champion, clocking in at 14:29.39. His silver medal performance underscored his reputation as a formidable competitor, after his triumph in San Salvador earlier this month.

The bronze medal went to Esteban Oses Campos of Costa Rica, who finished the race with a time of 15:33.04. Campos' performance, while falling short of the record-breaking times set by Sprout and Pagan, nonetheless represented a notable achievement for the host nation.

Layla Roebke, also of the USA, won the gold medal in the women's 5000m, clocking in at 17:24.61. Puerto Rico's Jorelis Vargas took the silver medal in 17:56.56, finishing ahead of her compatriot Yuliannie Lugo, who completed the podium with 18:05.18.

NACAC U23 Championships men's 5000m results

Women's 5000m results

Check out more latest NACAC U23 Championships results here