Skechers running shoes carried 17-time NCAA national champion Edward Cheserek across the finish line for a second consecutive win at the 2022 Carlsbad 5000, also known as the “World’s Fastest 5K.”
Cheserek, who also won the race when it was last held in 2019, crossed the finish line on Sunday in Carlsbad, Calif. one second ahead of the competition, coming in at 13:44. “After winning in 2019, I said I couldn’t wait to race again here next year,” he said. “It ended up taking a little bit longer than we thought due to the pandemic, but feels so good to be back and to win again on this course is more than I could have hoped for.”
Cheserek ran the race in the Skechers Speed Elite, which the footwear company describes as a high-performance flat racing shoe. A lightweight mesh upper, Hyper Burst cushioning, carbon-infused winglet plate and Goodyear make the shoe highly responsive to a runner’s movements, while ensuring stability throughout a competition. The shoe retails for $200, and is sold on Skechers’ e-commerce site as well as at select retail partners.
Since it started in 1986, the Carlsbad 5000 has become a proving ground for elite runners. Skechers marathoner Meb Keflezighi, along with local running notables, took ownership of the event in 2018. “It’s been a long three years since the last Carlsbad 5000, but Edward’s repeat win was the perfect way to begin the next chapter of this fantastic race,” Keflezighi said. “It’s great to be back with the runners and fans in the San Diego area and I loved watching another member of the Skechers running family push so hard to cross that finish line first.” Keflezighi was the first runner to wear the debut model of the Skechers GO RUN in 2012, solidifying the brand’s stature in the world of running, Skechers said in a statement.
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He’s now passed the torch to Cheserek, Skechers president Michael Greenberg said, adding that the company is “fortunate to have him on our team” to illustrate the benefits of its technical footwear.
“Edward is a true competitor who never gave up to get the win in an exciting photo finish ending. Runners around the world are inspired by his determination and focus,” he added.
Cheserek’s running career began at Saint Benedict’s Preparatory School in New Jersey, where he was named the Gatorade 2013 National Cross Country Runner of the Year. Originally from Kenya, the athlete advanced his running ambitions at the University of Oregon, known its athletic prowess and as the alma mater of Nike founder Phil Knight.
Cheserek became the school’s first freshman to win the NCAA National Cross Country Championships in 2013, and repeated the win during his sophomore and junior years. Upon graduation, he was the most successful male athlete in NCAA Division I athletics’ history, boasting 17 national championships in cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field. Cheserek’s professional career began in 2017 when he nailed a record win at the 2018 Boston University Valentine Invitational wearing custom Skechers Go Run racing spikes.