University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Alum Antonio Vega Honored by USATF
12/9/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
Former Gopher Antonio Vega has won the Robert E. DeCelle Jr. Award for Long Distance Running Male Athlete of the Year, awarded by the USATF. The 2010 U.S. Road Circuit Champion, Vega had four top-four finishes in a successful season.
Vega won the Aramco 2010 Half Marathon Championship in Houston, Tex., in January with a time of 1:01:54, his personal best. He added a third-place finish in the National 15K in Jacksonville, Fla., in March (43:56), a fourth-place finish at the Bix U.S. 7 Mile Championships in Davenport, Iowa, in July (33.08), and a second-place finish at the 10 Mile Championship in Flint, Mich., in August (47:44).
“This is truly a great honor to be recognized as the long distance runner of the year,” Vega said. “When I see the previous winners of this award, Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, and Alberto Salazar, it is very humbling for me.”
A 2007 University of Minnesota graduate, Vega earned All-America honors in cross country during the 2005 season, a year in which he also won the NCAA Midwest Region title and was named the USTFCCCA Midwest Region Runner of the Year. Vega was a three-time NCAA Cross Country Championships competitor and a four-time all-region honoree during his Golden Gopher running career.
Vega won the Aramco 2010 Half Marathon Championship in Houston, Tex., in January with a time of 1:01:54, his personal best. He added a third-place finish in the National 15K in Jacksonville, Fla., in March (43:56), a fourth-place finish at the Bix U.S. 7 Mile Championships in Davenport, Iowa, in July (33.08), and a second-place finish at the 10 Mile Championship in Flint, Mich., in August (47:44).
“This is truly a great honor to be recognized as the long distance runner of the year,” Vega said. “When I see the previous winners of this award, Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, and Alberto Salazar, it is very humbling for me.”
A 2007 University of Minnesota graduate, Vega earned All-America honors in cross country during the 2005 season, a year in which he also won the NCAA Midwest Region title and was named the USTFCCCA Midwest Region Runner of the Year. Vega was a three-time NCAA Cross Country Championships competitor and a four-time all-region honoree during his Golden Gopher running career.
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