RESULTS
COLLEGE STATION, Texas —
Kaila Gibson brought the heat to the track for the past six years as a leader for the Portland State track & field program. Thursday night at Texas A&M's E.B. Cushing Stadium, the heat may have bit back.
A punishing race in a temperate climate, Gibson and the rest of the women's 10k field at the NCAA West Preliminary started their race in the dark but still with temperatures above 80 degrees. That left little chance for Gibson to make a splash in her final race in a Viking singlet.
Gibson finished 39th in the 10k field Thursday, closing her career with a time of 36:53.29.
Neither the place nor the time come close to representing the runner Gibson has been for the Vikings. The fact that Gibson was racing at all at Thursday's meet stood as a more accurate representation.
Gibson became only the second Viking ever to qualify twice for the women's 10k at the NCAA West Prelims, joining Camelia Mayfield (2013, 2015). Gibson qualified on the back of a near-record time at the Hayward Premiere on April 2, when she finished in 33:55.99. That time put Gibson just four and a half seconds back from the school record of 33:51.40, which 11-time NCAA Division II All-American Debbie Myra set 34 years ago.
Gibson closes her Viking career ranked in four different all-time top 10s outdoors at Portland State between the 10k (2nd), 5k (6th), 1,500 meters (7th) and steeplechase (7th). Gibson also holds the school record in the indoor 5k, while ranking third in the indoor 3k and 10th in the indoor mile. Gibson's senior cross country season in 2018 was one of the best by any Viking, as she earned All-Big Sky honors with a ninth-place finish at conference while setting the school record in the 4k and moving up to second all-time in the 5k and 6k.
Academically, Gibson has already earned 12 Academic All-Big Sky honors in her career, and stands as a two-time USTFCCCA All-Academic honoree.
Josh Snyder follows Gibson at the NCAA West Preliminary tomorrow, as he runs for the Vikings in the men's steeplechase at 4:10 p.m. PT / 6:10 p.m. CT.
NCAA West Preliminary
E.B. Cushing Stadium
College Station, Texas
May 27, 2021
Women's Results:
10,000m (Semifinals): 39.
Kaila Gibson, 36:53.29.
