EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Victor Kibiego is one of five UTEP athletes that will compete at the NCAA Track and Field Championships June 7-10 in Austin, Texas.
Kibiego will run in the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase at the National Championships.
Kibiego punched his ticket to the National Championships after he finished third place in his heat at the NCAA West Regionals in Sacramento, California on May. 26.
Kibiego clocked in a personal-best time of 8:26.80 in the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase quarterfinals. Kibiego’s new time ranks fourth on the program’s top-10 list.
The product out of Eldoret, Kenya became the first UTEP men’s steeplechase competitor to advance to nationals since 2015 when Anthony Rotich captured the national title.
“My coach told me one guy that ran steeplechase and there was another one named Anthony Rotich, that was the second one. I think I am the third one and I am very proud of it,” Kibiego said. “Running in Kenya is like a business because many of the guys don’t go to school like me that I get that opportunity to do schooling at the same time running.”
Kibiego will look to make a name for himself in the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase semifinals on Wednesday at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas. Kibiego is set to run in the first heat of the event that is scheduled to start at 7:02 p.m. CT/6:02 p.m. MT.
