Posted: Apr 12, 2023

Record breaker Joel Gardner named USTFCCCA NJCAA Division I National Athlete of the Week

Sophomore distance runner Joel Gardner (Ironwood Ridge HS) was named the USTFCCCA NJCAA Division I M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week on Tuesday after he broke the Pima school record in the 5,000-meter race with a time of 14:12.84. Gardner is now ranked No. 1 nationally in the event and he is eighth all-time on the NJCAA list. Photo by William Grobe

Pima Community College sophomore distance runner Joel Gardner (Ironwood Ridge HS) made history last Saturday at the Triton Invitational in La Jolla, CA and his effort in the 5,000 meter race was rewarded on the national scale.

Gardner was selected the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NJCAA Division I M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week.
Gardner broke the Pima school record in the 5,000-meter race with a time of 14:12.84, eclipsing Craig Curley's previous record of 14:23.30 set back in 2008.
Gardner's previous personal-record and national qualifying time for the event was 14:36.50 set at the NJCAA Indoor National Championships last month where finished in seventh place.
Gardner's time is now No. 1 in the national rankings for the 5,000-meters, and it also put him eighth on the NJCAA all-time list.

The Aztecs will compete in the Mesa Outdoor Invitational on Friday. Events will begin at 3:00 p.m.

See Gardner's National Athlete of the Week selection on the USTFCCCA website