Another Huge Record Run For Gilbert In 5k

Friday, February 10

Seattle, Wash.

4:00 PM

University of Washington

Husky Classic

February 10, 2017 | Track & Field

Husky Classic Day One Results Gilbert Post-Race On Flotrack

By: UW Athletic Communications

Husky Classic
February 10-11, 2017 - Dempsey Indoor
DAY TWO HEAT SHEETS - Flotrack Live Link - Live Results
FINAL SCHEDULE - LAST MINUTE NOTES - ACCEPTED ENTRIES - POLE VAULT SECTIONS - Meet Information

UW Indoor Open
February 12, 2017 - Dempsey Indoor
HEAT SHEETS (Sprints not yet seeded) - SPRINTS DESCENDING ORDER - ACCEPTED ENTRIES (Updated 2/10) - WAITLIST (Updated 2/10) - FINAL SCHEDULE (Updated 2/10) - LAST MINUTE NOTES - ACCEPTED ENTRY MARKS - Meet Information
Flotrack Live Link - Live Results

SEATTLE – Four weeks ago it was a 3:58 mile. Two weeks ago a school record and NCAA-leading 7:45 3k. Tonight junior Colby Gilbert's hot streak continued as he ran the fastest 5,000-meters ever by a Husky, smashing the UW indoor record by nearly thirteen seconds, and even bettering Gilbert's own outdoor 5k record set last spring when he won the Pac-12 title.

Highlighting the first night of Washington's two-day Husky Classic in the Dempsey, Gilbert went into the final lap of the 5k right on the heels of Oregon's 15-time NCAA Champion Edward Cheserek, with the rest of the field several seconds behind. Cheserek was able to hold off Gilbert, winning in 13:32.59, but Gilbert powered through the finish in 13:34.85, making Cheserek and Gilbert not just 1-2 in the NCAA this year, but also the two fastest men in the world so far.

Gilbert merely wanted to secure an NCAA Indoor spot in the 5k to go with his 3k time, so the big-time school record was a bonus.

"For me today was just about getting a qualifying time," he said. "We weren't trying to run crazy fast, but we still ran pretty fast, we were just trying to get a 13:45 pace through two miles and then over the last 400-800 kind of pick it up. He beat me fair and square, but I have more in the tank. Honestly this race was a lot easier than two weeks ago, much more controlled. We basically just tempoed 13:35 which is pretty sweet. Now it's all about just getting ready for nationals."

The first ever Pac-12 5,000-meter Champion in UW history, Gilbert's time shattered the previous indoor school record of 13:47.42 set in 2015 by Aaron Nelson, a four-time All-American and two-time NCAA Indoor 5,000-meter competitor. Typically, records and PRs in any distance event are significantly faster outdoors where tracks are larger and have fewer turns, but Gilbert's time tonight even broke his outdoor school record of 13:35.20.

In the same heat, junior Fred Huxham also ran a huge indoor career-best of 13:51.87, jumping up to No. 4 on the Husky top-10 list for the NCAA Cross Country qualifier. Andrew Gardner also went 14:15.22, just a couple seconds out of the top-10 himself.

The day started with a roar, when junior Jacopo Spanò dominated the 200-meters with a big indoor PR of 21.36 seconds and let out a jubilant yell when he saw the clock. The Italian moved all the way up to No. 5 in school history with the fastest time by a Husky since 2009, knocking Husky football legend Beno Bryant off the top-10 list.

In the women's 200m, sophomore Sarah Stavig moved into the No. 10 spot on the Husky recordbooks with a PR run of 24.72 seconds. Right behind that was sophomore Imani Apostol who clocked her best collegiate 200-meters going 24.79, which is 11th in school history. Cydnicia Wade was eighth overall at 25.03 and Darhian Mills was 12th at 25.23.

Junior Carey Campbell had his best weight throw of the season thus far, going 55-0 ¼ on his first attempt.

The meet gets underway again on Saturday morning at 10 a.m., with the fastest sections of all races grouped together starting at 3 p.m.