The heroics of Habtom Samuel have already captured the internet’s attention. On November 22, the 20-year-old Eritrean long-distance runner took the track and field world by storm with his extraordinary performance. In the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, he overcame every challenge to secure a second-place finish. Yes, the Eritrean runner came in just behind Graham Blanks. Yet, he is receiving all the limelight, overshadowing the race winner. Any particular reason behind this?

You could ask Josh Kerr about this. The Olympian had predicted Samuel’s rise last year. As an alumnus of the University of New Mexico, Kerr had the opportunity to watch the phenom in action during practice sessions. At the time, he shared his observations with the coaching staff. Now, a year later, Kerr’s predictions appear to have been remarkably accurate.

Josh Kerr’s expert eyes didn’t miss spotting the talent 

On November 22, Habtom Samuel completed the 10K race in Verona, Wisconsin, in 28:38 minutes. However, his victory was hard-earned—he crossed the finish line with a bleeding toe and running without a shoe on his leg. Despite these challenges, he also had to contend with the 35-degree weather and the scorching sun. Yet, he managed to finish just a few minutes behind Graham Blanks. Isn’t that effort impressive? It certainly is. But if you listen to Josh Kerr’s words, you might raise your expectations even higher for Samuel. Why? Last year, the British Olympian visited his alma mater, the University of New Mexico, for training. Just a few weeks earlier, Kerr had claimed the gold medal in the men’s 1500m at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest. So when he stepped onto the training field, the focus shifted to him. However, the Olympian had his sights set on something else.

On the track, Josh had the chance to train with Habtom Samuel. That little yet effective experience filled his heart with amazement. He turned to head coach Darren Gauson to share his takes. In those takes, the world champion had flowers only. While recalling the moment, the veteran coach said, “Josh was really blown away with how good Habtom was.” Gauson further added, “He turned and said to me, ‘That’s a future NCAA champion right there.’” Being a three-time NCAA champion in the mile and 1500m, Kerr knows what the job asks from the candidates. Per him, Habtom Samuel has the mettle to land better success in the national arena. The runner, however, knows how to punch above his height. Do you want examples? 

Habtom Samuel carries the flag of bravery on track 

On November 22, Habtom Samuel started as the favorite. Before the 5K mark, he continued to stay in the lead pack. But after the 5k mark, his fate changed. He lost his shoe while stepping on the ground. The pain extended after being spiked by a fellow runner. Yet his composure never experienced a blow. Rather, he chose to run with the leading pack, strictly chasing the defending champion, Graham Blanks. This simple trick did the job for him. But is it not something he did in May this year? 

This year in May, Habtom appeared in the 10,000m race of the NCAA Division 1 West First Rounds. But his bad luck chased him there as well. In the midrace, he stumbled and fell on the track. Can you guess what he did after that? He stood up and kept running. Ultimately, his powerful urge made him victorious on the day. This mindset pushes him every time to press on the cylinders. And expectedly, he does not want to give up. An Olympic medalist has put his trust in Samuel’s bright future already. In the future, many would do the same. Furthermore, the runner himself responds, “I can’t quit. I don’t want to stop.” What is your thought on this tale?