NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt freshman Juliette Kriegel capped a remarkable debut year with a national title at the NCAA Outdoor track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, winning the 5,000 meters. Kriegel initially planned to focus on either the 5,000 or the 1,500 meters, but ultimately competed in both.
After qualifying for the 5,000-meter final, Kriegel and her coaches decided to prioritize that race, believing a strong time would aid in future race entries. She won the 5,000 meters,and after the victory,head coach Balyo advised her to consider how she felt before committing to the 1,500-meter race the following day.Kriegel woke up feeling prepared and secured another podium finish in the 1,500 meters.
“My calves have never been more sore in my life,” Kriegel said with a smile, reflecting on the demanding schedule.
kriegel has since had time to recover before the start of the cross contry season. she expressed that the experiance in Eugene remains fresh in her mind. While track and field has always been her primary passion, she is open to excelling in cross country as well.
“I really like the training aspect and long runs with teammates, but cross country can be difficult-especially when itS hot at the beginning of the year,” Kriegel explained. “And being injured during the season last year, I haven’t had a ton of experience with college cross country. So I think winning the title mostly just made me excited. I had success in the 5K, and [the women’s standard distance] 6K is pretty close to that, so it should be all right.”
With a national championship already under her belt, Kriegel is poised to build on her success as she enters her sophomore year at Vanderbilt.
