William Amponsah upgrades 2024 silver to NCAA 5000m title

Ghanaian long-distance runner William Amponsah has turned silver into gold in stunning fashion at the 2025 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships, held at Colorado State University Pueblo.

Just a year after narrowly missing out on the top spot, the 25-year-old claimed victory in the men’s 5,000m with a time of 14:26.23 – a staggering 14.55 seconds faster than his 2024 silver medal run.

In a thrilling finish, Amponsah left USA’s Dayton Brown trailing by 3.46 seconds, avenging his defeat to France’s Romain Legendre in the previous edition.

Double delight for Amponsah

The 5,000m triumph wasn’t Amponsah’s only success. The Ghanaian star successfully defended his 10,000m title, clocking 29:29.41 to fend off Brown once again, along with the USA’s Logan Bocovich.

Record-breaking year

Amponsah’s 2025 season has been nothing short of spectacular, with the athlete shattering national records with ease.

In March, he broke Ghana’s men’s 5000m record (13:30.99) at the Raleigh Relays, followed by a new 10,000m national record (27:47.93) at April’s Bryan Clay Invitational.

Earlier in the year, he also set a new 3000m short track benchmark (7:52.54) at the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships.

What’s next for Ghana’s star?

With his dominance in US collegiate athletics, all eyes are now on the 25-year-old as he sets his sights on global competitions. Could the 2025 World Championships be his next conquest?

For now, Ghana celebrates a track hero – one rewriting the record books in style.