Kathy Gibbons

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Wikipedia

Kathy Gibbons
Personal information
Born(1954-08-01)August 1, 1954
Died(1982-01-13)January 13, 1982
Boulder, Colorado
Sport
SportAthletics
Event
10000 meters

Kathy Gibbons (later Kathy Gibbons Jackson) was a world record holder in the women's 10,000 meters.

Early life

Gibbons attended Alhambra High School in Arizona then Northern Arizona University and then Arizona State University where she completed a master's degree in Exercise Physiology.[1]

Athletics career

Gibbons recorded one world record in the women's 10,000 metres of 34:51.0 on 12 June 1971 in Phoenix, Arizona.[2]

Gibbons is also credited with the first world best time (according to the Association of Road Racing Statisticians) in the women's half marathon. She recorded a time of 1:23:56 in Phoenix, Arizona on the 7 March 1971.[3][4]

Gibbons achieved the following results at the United States outdoor track and field championships:

  • First in the 1500 m in 1971.
  • Third in the 1500 m in 1972.
  • Second in both the 1 mile and 2 miles in 1973.

Gibbons was also champion at the mile in the 1970 United States indoor championships.

Later Life and Death

After college, Gibbons was a teacher and coach at Glendale Community College in Arizona then a coach at the University of Colorado. Gibbons was killed in 1982 after being struck by a vehicle while running in Colorado.[5][6]

In 1982, the Kathy Gibbons Jackson Memorial Scholarship was established in her honor at Arizona State University.[7]

In 1987, Gibbons was elected to the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame.[8]

In 2013, Gibbons was elected to the Phoenix 10K and Marathon Hall of Fame.[9]

References

  1. ↑ "Forever Five: Finding Alhambra High School's all-time greatest athletes". eu.azcentral.com.
  2. ↑ Progression of IAAF World Records 2011 Edition, Editor Imre Matrahazi, IAAF Athletics, p. 553.
  3. ↑ "Kathy Gibbons Jackson". Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
  4. ↑ Sayer, Amber (January 24, 2024). "What's The Fastest Half Marathon Time Ever? Progression Of The Half Marathon World Record". Marathon Handbook. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Top Distance Runner Killed in Colorado". Arizona Daily Sun. January 14, 1982. p. 3.
  6. ↑ "Top 20 all-time Arizona girls high school track and field athletes". eu.azcentral.com.
  7. ↑ "Kathy Gibson Jackson Memorial Scholarship". chs.asu.edu.
  8. ↑ "Arizona Sports Hall of Fame Members". Arizona Sports and Entertainments Commission. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
  9. ↑ "50th Annual Phoenix 10k & Marathon: ARIZONA RUNNER'S HALL OF FAME". Phoenix 10K and Marathon. Retrieved November 2, 2025.