Cornell University junior Pierre Attiogbe will compete in the NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships this weekend, marking his first appearance at the national meet. The event takes place in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where Attiogbe is the only representative from the Cornell Big Red men’s indoor track and field program.
Attiogbe’s participation highlights both his personal achievements and the growing strength of Cornell’s track program. Assistant coach Mike Henderson said, “It’s such an honor. He’s worked so hard for this, and he’s been so dedicated to making himself better. It’s really deserving for him to get this opportunity. For the program, we love being able to compete with the best and show that we’re capable of battling anybody, and Pierre certainly represents that.”
Attiogbe will run in the mile semifinals on Friday at 6:20 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. To qualify for Saturday’s final, he must finish among the top four in his heat or have one of the next two fastest times overall. Henderson said Attiogbe has always embraced high-level competition: “He’s never been afraid of it,” Henderson said. “He wants to be on the big stage, and he wants to compete against the best. He cares about beating people. He doesn’t worry about who’s next to him on the starting line — he just wants to race.”
Earlier this season at Boston University Track & Tennis Center, Attiogbe ran a mile in 3:52.44, breaking both the French under-23 national record by more than three seconds and setting a new Ivy League record previously held by Harrison Witt of Princeton University. His time ranked No. 11 on the NCAA all-time list at that point and No. 6 nationally for this season.
Henderson described Attiogbe’s development as an athlete who now trusts race rhythms rather than forcing outcomes: “He doesn’t panic,” Henderson said. “At that race at BU he got boxed in a little, and things weren’t perfect. But he didn’t panic… Last year he might have been more antsy, but now he lets the race come to him.” Henderson also noted Attiogbe’s ability to balance academics with athletics; as a computer science major, Attiogbe took an exam in his hotel room before his record-setting performance.
Supporters are expected to gather for a watch party Friday evening on campus as they hope to see Attiogbe advance further into championship weekend.
