Conley Finishes 12th in 5,000 at World Championships

Aggie alum is showcased once again on the international stage with world's best runners



Kim Conley enjoyed a standout career while competing for the Aggies. She graduated in 2009.



Aug 17, 2013





14th IAAF World Championships website | Results

MOSCOW, Russia - UC Davis alum Kim Conley led the 5,000-meter final early on at the 14th IAAF World Track and Field Championships at Luzhniki Stadium on Saturday before finishing 12th in the elite field.


Conley, who ran the event at last year's London Olympics, was timed in 15 minutes, 36.58 seconds. She covered the first 400 meters in 1:18.53 to take the early lead and then was sixth after 800 meters in 2:36.26.


Defar Meseret of Ethiopa went on to win the race in 14:50.19, edging Kenyan Cherono Mercy (14:51.22) and Ayana Almaz (14:51.33) of Ethiopa.


"I came to Moscow with the goal of making the final after failing to do so in London a year ago," Conley said after the race. "While I accomplished that goal, I believed I could finish better than 12th tonight so I'm still left knowing that I have more to prove."


Drew Wartenburg, the Aggies' director of track and field and cross country, serves as Conley's coach and said her qualifying for the world championship final is another big step in her career.


"Reaching the championship race in a global meet has been an outstanding experience for Kim," he said. "After last summer, competing in the world final emerged as a principal goal for this summer and year, and to have attained another lofty goal of this nature is a testament to Kim's ability to produce the type of effort necessary to be a factor at the international level.








"We both had our sights set higher for this evening's result, but at the end if the day it's hard to argue with 12th in the world."


Conley earned her spot in Saturday's final after finishing fifth in her semifinal heat on Wednesday.

Courtesy UC Davis
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Kim Conley (Montgomery HS, Santa Rosa 2004; UC Davis 2008)