EDINBURGH, Scotland - Freshman Emil Heineking, running in the 36th IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh, Scotland Sunday morning, finished the junior men’s race in 26th place in a time of 24:16.

Of the 109 athletes, Heineking was the second American across the line and just 1:38 behind the winner, Ethiopia’s Ibrahim Jellan.

Heineking was the top American throughout the race though, running a 5:28 on the first of four laps, to be among the lead pack. Kenya’s Lucas Kimeli Rotich and Mathew Kipkoech Kisorio led a group of 22 runners vying for the front of the pack with a time of 5:27, only a second ahead of Heineking.

He held strong for the second lap, too, remaining in the top 25 runners with an 11:05 split, 22 seconds behind a group of five runners fighting for the lead. The third lap saw him cross the line in 24th at a time of 17:40, about a minute short of the leaders.

USA’s German Fernandez put on a strong finish on the final lap to jump a second ahead of Heineking, though, becoming the first American to cross the line, in 24:15.

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