University of Minnesota Athletics
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/ Men's Track & Field
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Obsa Ali Signs Pro Deal with Flynn Sports
7/8/2019 12:25:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Men's Track & Field, Women's Cross Country, Women's Track & Field
MINNEAPOLIS – University of Minnesota track & field All-American alum Obsa Ali, who won the 2018 NCAA men's 3,000 meter steeplechase title as well as a pair of Big Ten championships in the discipline, has signed his first professional contract with Flynn Sports Management.
A native of Richfield, Minn., Ali will be in action on Tuesday, July 9 at the Sunset Meet – hosted on the campus of Asuza Pacific University in Azusa, Calif. Fellow University of Minnesota All-Americans Hassan Mead (men's 1,500 meters), Ben Blankenship (men's 1,500 meters) and Heather Kampf (women's 1,500 meters) are also among those scheduled to compete.
Ali rewrote Minnesota's record book when it came to the men's steeplechase -- posting the fastest three steeplechase performances in program history while earning three-straight All-America honors in the event. The distance runner originally broke Don Timm's nearly 47-year old school record at the 2018 NCAA West Preliminary before besting his own performance to earn the 14th individual men's national championship in University of Minnesota at the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. His NCAA steeplechase win marked the Maroon & Gold's first men's outdoor national championship since 2003 while he won back-to-back Big Ten titles in the steeplechase in 2018 and 2019.
Earlier this year, Ali posted his fastest steeplechase time with an 8:31.15 at the 2019 Payton Jordan Invitational – setting a new school record for the third and final time.
A four-time All-America selection for the Maroon & Gold, Ali also earned the accolade in the indoor 5,000 meters in addition to his three merits in the steeplechase. The redshirt senior was also a five-time All-Big Ten pick between track and cross country.
The distance runner owns a pair of University of Minnesota records in the men's 3,000 meter steeplechase (8:31.15) and the men's 10,000 meters in cross country (29:23.06). He also ranks second in program history in the indoor 5,000 meters (13:38.41), third in the outdoor 5,000 meters (13:43.13) and fourth in the indoor 3,000 meters (7:54.92).
A native of Richfield, Minn., Ali will be in action on Tuesday, July 9 at the Sunset Meet – hosted on the campus of Asuza Pacific University in Azusa, Calif. Fellow University of Minnesota All-Americans Hassan Mead (men's 1,500 meters), Ben Blankenship (men's 1,500 meters) and Heather Kampf (women's 1,500 meters) are also among those scheduled to compete.
update: I have signed with @flynnsports and I am super excited for some summer racing. I will be racing out in LA next week in hopes of getting the world standard. pic.twitter.com/FccMg1HqLz
— Lord Obsa House of Stark 🐺 (@obsali17) July 3, 2019
Ali rewrote Minnesota's record book when it came to the men's steeplechase -- posting the fastest three steeplechase performances in program history while earning three-straight All-America honors in the event. The distance runner originally broke Don Timm's nearly 47-year old school record at the 2018 NCAA West Preliminary before besting his own performance to earn the 14th individual men's national championship in University of Minnesota at the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. His NCAA steeplechase win marked the Maroon & Gold's first men's outdoor national championship since 2003 while he won back-to-back Big Ten titles in the steeplechase in 2018 and 2019.
Earlier this year, Ali posted his fastest steeplechase time with an 8:31.15 at the 2019 Payton Jordan Invitational – setting a new school record for the third and final time.
A four-time All-America selection for the Maroon & Gold, Ali also earned the accolade in the indoor 5,000 meters in addition to his three merits in the steeplechase. The redshirt senior was also a five-time All-Big Ten pick between track and cross country.
The distance runner owns a pair of University of Minnesota records in the men's 3,000 meter steeplechase (8:31.15) and the men's 10,000 meters in cross country (29:23.06). He also ranks second in program history in the indoor 5,000 meters (13:38.41), third in the outdoor 5,000 meters (13:43.13) and fourth in the indoor 3,000 meters (7:54.92).
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