Kathy Gibbons

Kathy Gibbons

Personal information
Born	(1954-08-01)August 1, 1954
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Event	10000 metres

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

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 whilst running in Colorado. ^{[5] [6]}

In 1982 the Kathy Gibbons Jackson Memorial Scholarship was established in her honour 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 2 November 2025.
4. Sayer, Amber (24 January 2024). "What's The Fastest Half Marathon Time Ever? Progression Of The Half Marathon World Record". Marathon Handbook. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
5. "82 01 14 ADS Death of KG". Arizona Daily Sun.
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 2 November 2025.
9. "50th Annual Phoenix 10k & Marathon: ARIZONA RUNNER'S HALL OF FAME". Phoenix 10K and Marathon. Retrieved 2 November 2025.