Senior Peter Najem placed third in the 800-meter race at the ECAC Division III championships on Saturday

Peter Najem, Senior, Men's Track and Field

Senior Peter Najem of Derry, N.H. completed his Keene State College running career in grand fashion by racing to All-American honors in the 800- and 1,500 events at the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships at Baldwin-Wallace College on Saturday.

Najem began the day by finishing eighth in the 1,500 race with a time of 3:52.54. An hour and a half later he was back on the George Finn Stadium Track, racing to a seventh place finish (1:53.95) in the 800.

“It was a little harder than I thought, but I’m glad I ran both races,” said Najem.

Running in the middle of the pack in the 1,500, Najem was thrown off stride when a runner went down in front of him.  “I lost my rhythm and it got me out of my groove,” he said.

Regaining his legs for the 800, Najem stayed back in the  pack and picked off a couple of runners to earn his second All-America award. 

“It’s sad that my Keene State career is over, but earning two All-Americas is a nice reward for all my hard work the past five years,” Najem said.

Najem becomes the first KSC men’s athlete to successfully double at an outdoor championship since Scott Hatch finished fourth in the 10K and sixth in the 5K at the 1988 championships.

 Najem finished his Owl career with three All-America trophies.  He also had a fourth-place finish in the 800 at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Championships.