May 11, 2018
Clovis, Calif.----- San Jose State University's Kolbi Sims followed through on a strong first-day performance in the heptathlon with an inspired last three events to set a school record for points scored and individual heptathlon finish on the second day of the Mountain West Women's Outdoor Track & Field Championship.
The junior from Eagle, Idaho posted a 5,402 points total, far exceeding the previous Spartan heptathlon record of 5,236 set by Jade Childs at the 2017 Mountain West Outdoor Track & Field Championship. Sims came into the conference championship with a personal best of 5,017 from the 2018 Bryan Clay Invitational in April.
"That was huge. I couldn't be more proud of her," said San Jose State University director of track and field Jeff Petersmeyer about the new school record holder in the heptathlon.
Sims started the final three events in sixth place, but just 65 points out of second. She earned 798 points in the long jump, one of her better events to begin the back half of the heptathlon, and began her ascent up the leaderboard and towards the 5,000-point plateau.
"To come back with a 5.83 (meters mark) in the long jump, I knew she would be in good shape," assessed Petersmeyer.
The psychology major held her own in the javelin with a 34.84-meters throw, fifth best among the 11 remaining competitors, for 569 points.
Sims closed out the heptathlon with her only first-place finish winning the 800-meter dash with her third personal best of the meet. Her 2:18.72 clocking was 1.5 seconds faster than runner-up Gabby Smith of Colorado State and 5.01 seconds faster than her time at the Bryan Clay Invitational.
"She ran a great 800 today. She totally crushed the school record (in the pentathlon)," Petersmeyer said. "We took a load off of her in training (for the meet). She has more and more confidence in what she can do."
The second-place finish in the heptathlon is the best by a Spartan in the event at a Mountain West Championship. Sims had personal bests in the A year ago, Childs was fourth with 5,236 point total.
Sims' performance was enough to put the Spartans in fourth place with eight points after two events. New Mexico is in first with 24. Boise State with 15 and Fresno State with 10 are ahead of San Jose State. The Bulldogs' Jesteena Mattson accounted for all of Fresno State's team points winning the heptathlon with a 5,511 total.
Senior Carmen Contreras wrapped the second night of San Jose State action placing 14th in her first 10,000 meter run as a Spartan. She was 14th with a non-scoring time of 38:10.57.
The four-day meet at Veterans Memorial Stadium continues with day #3 on Friday, May 11. There are field-event trials and finals in the hammer throw, shot put, high jump and long jump and eight track events.
Streaming coverage is available through FloTrack.
2018 Mountain West Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship
Veterans Stadium, Clovis, Calif.
May 10, 2018
Second day of four results
Team scoring (after two events) -- 1, New Mexico, 24. 2, Boise State, 15. 3, Fresno State, 10. 4, San Jose State, 8. 5, tie, Colorado State & UNLV, 5. 7, San Diego State & Nevada, 4. 9, Utah State, 3. 10, tie, Air Force & Wyoming, 0.
Heptathlon (final after seven events) -- 1, Jestena Mattson, Fresno State, 5,511. 2, Kolbi Sims, San Jose State, 5,402 (new school record, old record, 5,236, by Jade Childs, 2017 Mountain West Championships). 3, Kyra Mohns, New Mexico, 5,391. 4, Stella Clemens, UNLV, 5,289. 5, Asia Smith, San Diego State, 5,110.
10,000 meters -- 1, Ednah Kurgat, New Mexico, 32:31.55 (new meet record, old record, 33:18.25, by Alice Wright, 2015 Mountain West Championship). 2, Weini Kelati, New Mexico, 32:41.92. 3, Clare O'Brien, Boise State, 34:00.33. San Jose State finisher -- 14, Carmen Contreras, 38:10.57.