New York, N.Y.— For the fourth time in as many weeks, John Jay men’s cross country runner
Jemal Ninua (Republic of Georgia, James Madison) did not run a race without recognition as the City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) has named the first year runner the men’s cross country Rookie of the Week for the week ending Oct. 11.
Ninua, who has already won the conference’s top weekly first year prize for week endings Sept. 20, 27 and Oct. 4, won it this time for a performance just as impressive. He impressed at the Brooklyn College Invitational at Van Cortlandt Park last Sunday where the Bloodhounds finished second of 10 schools and were first amongst the CUNYAC teams.
He blazed the challenging eight kilometer course in 31:45 and, for the first time this season, was John Jay’s top finisher, edging out fellow teammate
Mikey Babayev (Moscow, Russia, Forest Hills) by three seconds and
Antonio Aguilar (Bronx, NY, Teaching and the Professions) by four seconds. He finished seventh overall of 77 runners at the invitational in what was John Jay’s final tune-up at Van Cortlandt Park this season before the Bloodhounds go headlong against the best the CUNYAC has to offer at the conference championship on Oct. 25.
The Bloodhounds return to action this Saturday for their final race before the CUNYAC Championship at the Western New England Invitational in Springfield, Mass.