Arizona's Lawi Lalang, left, and Oregon's Edward Cheserek, right, race to the finish line during the men's 5,000 meters at the NCAA track and field championships on June 13, 2014, in Eugene, Ore. Lalang came in first place and Cheserek came in second place. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

 Rick Bowmer

Tucsonan Lawi Lalang will run the first high-profile meet as a professional on Saturday. He is among the favorites in the Fifth Avenue Mile in New York City, in which the winner will be paid $5,000. The eight-time NCAA championship distance runner has a lifetime best of 3:52.88 in the mile. His best distance is probably 5,000 meters.

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