UTEP’s Kibiego places third, earns First Team All-America status at Nationals
AUSTIN, Texas - UTEP’s Victor Kibiego finished third in the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase final, earning first team All-America honors at the 2023 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field National Championships hosted by Texas at Mike A. Myers Stadium on Friday evening.
Kibiego clocked in an 8:32.49, crossing the finish line right behind Montana State’s Duncan Hamilton (8:32.18).
BYU’s Kenneth Brooks blew by the competition, clocking in an 8:26.17 to claim the 2023 National Championship. Kibiego and Brooks positioned themselves as the top five runners for the first five laps.
However, Brooks lingered back enough to finally pull away and take a big lead before crossing the line first.
Kibiego is the first men’s UTEP steeplechase runner to gain All-America status since Anthony Rotich in 2015 when he won the third national championship of a three-peat.
Rotich finished in sixth place in his first ever steeplechase final during the 2012 season.
Jakub Belik also competed on Friday, missing his height on all three attempts, and concluding his sensational sophomore campaign.
The native of Jaromer, Czech Republic, won his first three meets of the outdoor season, while winning gold at both the Conference USA Indoor and Outdoor Championships.
Overall, the UTEP women produced a pair of All-Americans in javelin thrower Arianne Morais, and hurdler/sprinter Marissa Simpson on Thursday night. It’s the most on the women’s side since 2013 (Risper Kimaiyo – 10,000; Janice Jackson – 100m hurdles).
Morais’s best mark was a 51.43-meter (168-8) toss on her first attempt as she placed 14th overall.
Morais improved from last year’s showing in Eugene, Ore., as the junior transfer from Florida placed 22nd (50.26m, 164-11).
Morais is the first female UTEP javelin thrower since 2010 (Anna Wessman) to be honored as an All-American.
Simpson came up short, placing fifth in the women’s 100-meter hurdles semifinals in heat 1, clocking in a 13.21 (+0.5) in lane three.
The sophomore finished 16th overall. Simpson was the first female 100m hurdler from UTEP to earn All-American status since 2017 (Tobi Amusan) and third since 2013.
