Ramapo College Runner Sprints To Record Finish At Nationals

MAHWAH, NJ — This Ramapo College athlete continues to rack up accolades and records, as he leaves opponents in the dust.

Middle-distance runner Cheickna Traore, who was just named the New Jersey Athletic Conference's Most Outstanding Athlete of the Year, has won two national titles, the college said.

The Jersey City native was crowned National College Athletic Association Division 3 champion in the 200-meter and 400-meter events at the Indoor Track & Field Championships on Saturday in Birmingham, a college release said.

With both wins, Traore was awarded his fifth NCAA All-American distinction.

The 6-foot, 3-inches tall senior won the 200-meter race with a NCAA D3 record time of 20.72 seconds. He also posted the second-fastest time (46.85) in D3 history in the 400-meter race. Both times break his own Ramapo program records.

Traore is the only man in D3 to dip under 21 seconds indoors in the 200-meter, and becomes the second man in D3 to dip under 47 seconds in the 400-meter, alongside Olympic gold medalist Andrew Rock, according to a D3 running podcast.

The 150-pound athlete wraps up his indoor track and field career as a three-time indoor All-American while also holding program records in the 60-meter (6.76), 300-meter (33.74), and 500-meter (1:04) events. He had recently defended his titles in the 60-meter and 200-meter events at the NJAC Championships on Feb. 20.

He was determined as Most Outstanding Athlete by a vote of the league's head coaches. He was also named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association Metro Region Track Athlete of the Year.