Tuscarora high school alum, Fitsum Seyoum is another great example of an athlete working at their craft and slowly but surely improving. That improvement has led him to be ranked NCAA #1 heading into the Division I National Championships this weekend.
His national leading time is 8:31.23 which is well ahead of the 8:38 time it took to win the event back in 2019, the last year NCAA Outdoors happened.
What is most impressive about Fitsum is the fact that he never won an individual state title in Virginia as a high schooler. Now, he did have some great competition, but it is still very impressive to go from that point to being the favorite for an NCAA title.
In 2017, as a college freshman Fits placed 7th in the steeple running 9:11. He dipped under nine minutes the following year and placed 3rd at ACC's with his 8:49 finish. Last year he lowered his time again by running 8:40 to be the ACC champion and finished 6th at NCAA East to make the national meet.
That brings him here today where he is the two-time ACC champion, NCAA #1, and advanced thru the East prelims by winning his heat in 8:41. Just behind him at the prelims was Derek Johnson of UVA and formerly of Tuscarora as well. Both guys ran 8:41 as well.
Seyoum has had quite the year and career at Virginia Tech. He definitely had a goal of breaking four-minutes in the Mile and came very close indoors with his 4:00.74, sometimes though not hitting one goal can help you chase another and we can't wait to see him chase that goal this weekend at the NCAA National Championships.