RECRUITING: Alabama Signs 10k Ace Dismus Lokira Korir From Kenya

Admin (Garrett Zatlin)
Jun 28, 2024
2 min read

Earlier today, The Stride Report confirmed that the Alabama men have signed Dismus Lokira Korir from Kenya for the upcoming academic year. The incoming distance star is expected to boast freshman eligibility upon joining the Crimson Tide.

Scholarbook Premier's Instagram account, Future Champs, was the first to report the news this past Thursday.

With personal bests of 3:43 (1500), 13:56 (5k) and, most importantly, 28:44 (10k), the incoming freshman looks to be a potential high-impact piece for the Alabama men as soon as this fall. It should be noted that Korir's 10k mark of 28:44 was run at altitude, specifically at 5800 feet. After conversions, Korir's 10k PR would yield a final mark of 27:22 while his 5k time would read 13:21, per Final Surge.

The Alabama men are seemingly loading up for one last major run while they still have veteran stars such as Victor Kiprop and Hillary Cheruiyot. And with Dennis Kipruto coming off of a spring campaign in which he qualified for the outdoor national meet over 10,000 meters, it seems fair to suggest that the Crimson Tide may have four men on their roster who are talented enough to be All-Americans come November.

Admittedly, the men of Tuscaloosa have often faced challenges with consistency on the grass, specifically on the national stage. While it is more than fair to believe that their top-four men are capable of earning top-40 finishes at the NCAA XC Championships, having them all deliver on that potential on the same day is by no means a given.

And yet, despite that, it is impossible to dismiss how Korir's introduction to this lineup dramatically alters the way that we view Alabama moving forward (for the better). While depth will still be a major point of emphasis for the SEC stalwart, the mathematical edge gained from their raw firepower has been plenty apparent in a handful of cross country meets in recent years.

Following this news, which men's team is now favored for SEC XC gold this fall?

Arkansas
Alabama
Tennessee
Texas