👟 Gibbens Earns Big 12 Runner of the Week Honors

LAWRENCE, Kan. – National Runner of the Week Chandler Gibbens received Big 12 Runner of the Week honors, the Big 12 Conference announced Tuesday afternoon, after winning the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational.

Gibbens impressed the entire country with his performance at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational, in which he placed first out of 155 competitors and won by two seconds over Hillary Cheruiyot of Alabama. Gibbens completed the 8K course in 23:08.4, surpassing his previous personal best in the event by 31 seconds as he maintained an outstanding 4:38 mile pace throughout the race.

The win at Notre Dame marked the 2nd career cross country victory for Gibbens and first of the season. Last track and field season, Gibbens broke the Kansas all-time record in the 5,000 meters, previously held by Jim Ryun, by racing to a time of 13:28.71. After winning two Big 12 Track and Field Championships in the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters, Gibbens qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Earlier this week, Gibbens was named the Division I National Athlete of the Week by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), which recognizes the best cross country athlete in the country for that week.

This is the second time Gibbens has won this award, first time in 2023. In 2022, Gibbens earned the distinction on Sept. 20 after placing second at the Woody Greeno/Jay Dirksen Invitational in Lincoln, Neb. This is the 10th time a Jayhawk has won the award.

Gibbens will be back in action at the Pre-Nationals Invite in Charlottesville, Va. on October 14.