Parker Valby

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Parker Valby
Athletics
Event(s)3000m, 5000m, 10000m
College teamUniversity of Florida
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)3000m: 8:41.50 i (The Track at New Balance, 2024)
5000m: 14:51.44 (Eugene, Oregon, 2024)
10000m: 30:50.43 (Azusa, 2024)
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing the  United States
Representing
Florida Gators/
Southeastern Conference
NCAA Cross Country Championships
Silver medal – second place
2022 Stillwater
6km
Gold medal – first place
2023 Charlottesville
6km
NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships
Gold medal – first place 2024 Boston 5000 meters
Gold medal – first place 2024 Boston 3000 meters
NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Silver medal – second place 2022 Eugene 5000 meters
Gold medal – first place 2023 Austin 5000 meters
Gold medal – first place 2024 Eugene 10000 meters
Gold medal – first place 2024 Eugene 5000 meters

Parker Valby (September 27, 2002) is an American track and field and cross-country athlete.[2] She is a six-time NCAA champion and the current NCAA record holder for the indoor 5000m, outdoor 5000m, and outdoor 10000m.

Early life

From

East Lake High School.[3] She was a competitive swimmer before first running cross-country in 2016. When asked to try track and field as well, she was initially reluctant and it meant having to give up lacrosse.[4] She became the Florida state champion and the Florida state all-time record holder whilst still a junior.[5][6]
However, she was unable to compete during her senior year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7]

Collegiate career

Valby competes for the

5000m at the NCAA Track and Field Championships by running a personal best of 15:20:10. This second-place performance helped Florida win the team title.[8][9]

The following fall, Valby once again finished runner-up to Tuohy but this time at the

NCAA Cross Country Championships in Oklahoma.[10] That spring, she won the 5000m at the 2023 NCAA Track and Field Championships helping Florida finish as team runner-up.[11]

Valby started out her redshirt junior season strong by winning the Wisconsin Nuttycombe invite over rival Katelyn Tuohy in a course time of 19:17.2.[12]

In November 2023, she won the

NCAA Cross Country Championship in Charlottesville, Virginia. She ran a new NCAA record time of 18:55.2 for the 6 km course to win by 10 seconds ahead of Doris Lemngole of the University of Alabama.[13]

On December 2, 2023, Valby set a new NCAA record for the indoor 5000m while competing at Boston University. Her time of 14:56.11 eclipsed the mark of 15:12.22 set by Emily Sisson in 2015.[14]

At the 2024 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships, Valby broke her own collegiate record in the 5000m and picked up another NCAA title, running 14:52.79 in Boston.[15] She negative split the race, running 7:33 for first half and 7:19 for her second. She had a comfortable margin of victory ahead of 2nd placer Taylor Roe who finished in 15:15.[16] The next day she also won the 3000m indoor national championship in a personal record of 8:41.50.[17]

In April 2024, she ran a time of 30:50.43 for the 10,000 metres at the Brian Clay Invitational in Azusa, California. It was a new American collegiate record, previously held by Lisa Uhl.[18] Valby set a new championship record winning the 5000 metres at the SEC Championship in Gainesville, Florida on 11 May 2024.[19]

Year SEC Cross Country NCAA South Regional Cross Country NCAA Cross Country SEC Indoor Track NCAA Indoor Track SEC Outdoor Track NCAA Outdoor Track
2021–22 4th 2nd 27th - - 2nd - 5000m 2nd - 5000m
2022–23 1st 1st 2nd - - 1st - 5000m 1st - 5000m
2023–24 1st 1st 1st 1st - 3000m; 1st DMR 1st - 5000m; 1st - 3000m 1st - 5000m 1st - 10000m; 1st - 5000m

Valby competed in the 2024 Olympic trials held in Eugene, Oregon. She finished fourth in the 5000m event, one spot out of making the Olympic team. She returned for the 10000m event later in the trials, where she finished second behind Weini Kelati.[20] Despite finishing in the top three for the 10000m, Valby had not yet run the Olympic standard time for the event and had to wait to see if she would be selected for the Olympics based on her World Athletics ranking.[21][22]

Sponsorship

In June 2023, Valby signed an endorsement agreement with sportswear brand Nike.[23] In doing so, she became the first female college track and field athlete to have a name, image, and likeness agreement with the company.[24]

Honors and awards

Achievements

National championships

Year Competition Venue Position Event Time
2024 USA Olympic Trials Eugene, Oregon 4th 5000 m 14:51.44
2nd 10000 m 31:41.56

NCAA titles

References

  1. ^ Parker Valby After SMASHING the NCAA 5k Record in 14:56!!! The Stride Report
  2. ^ "Parker Valby". World Athletics. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  3. ^ "Parker Valby". Florida Gators. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  4. ^ Putnam, Bob (31 October 2018). "Once a reluctant runner, East Lake's Parker Valby now leads the pack". Tampabay.com. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  5. ^ "Parker Valby Went from Inexperienced Runner to State Champ". baynews9.com. October 16, 2019. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  6. ^ Grasley, Todd. "Parker Valby Runs State Record Girls 3,200m - Florida State Meet Recap 2019". Runnerspace.com. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  7. ^ Lyden, Adair (April 26, 2020). "Open Letter From HS Coach To FL 3200m State Record Holder". fl.milesplit.com. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  8. ^ Zatlin, Garrett (March 2, 2023). "Parker Valby to Medically Scratch Out of NCAA Championships, per FloTrack". The Stride Report.
  9. ^ "Parker Valby Claims 5000m Victory At The NCAA Championship". Citiusmag.com. June 11, 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  10. ^ Mack, Gordon (November 19, 2022). "Florida's Parker Valby Breaks Down Her Race Against Katelyn Tuohy". flottack.org. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  11. ^ Johnson, Robert; Gault, Jonathan (June 11, 2023). "NCAA Women's Recap: Parker Valby (5000), Michaela Rose (800) & Olivia Markezich (Steeple) Earn First NCAA Titles". Lets Run. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  12. ^ "Parker Valby Takes Down Katelyn Tuohy At Nuttycombe as NAU Women Dominate". LetsRun. October 13, 2023. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  13. ^ "Florida's Parker Valby Takes First NCAA Cross Country Title". 2023-11-18. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
  14. ^ Colyear-Danville Women — Valby Takes CR Sub-15:00, Track & Field News, Roy Conrad, December 4, 2023.
  15. ^ Dutch, Taylor (March 8, 2024). "Parker Valby Breaks Her Own Collegiate Record and Wins the NCAA 5,000 Meters". Runners World. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  16. ^ "Parker Valby Breaks NCAA Record (14:52.79) To Destroy the Field and Win NCAA Title #3". Lets Run. 9 March 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  17. ^ Johnson, Robert; Gault, Jonathan (March 10, 2024). "2024 NCAA Indoors Women: Maia Ramsden & Parker Valby Dominate as Juliette Whittaker Stuns Michaela Rose". Lets Run. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  18. ^ Morton, Arik (April 12, 2024). "Parker Valby Shatters 10,000 Meter Collegiate Record". Florida Gators. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  19. ^ Hutchison, Katelyn (13 May 2024). "SEC Track And Field Championships Produce World Leading Times And Olympic Performances". Forbes.com. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  20. ^ "Results". results.usatf.org.
  21. ^ "Florida's Parker Valby earns silver in 10k at US Olympic Trials". Gators Wire. 30 June 2024.
  22. ^ "Kelati wins 10,000m, thrilling finish for second". NBC Sports.
  23. ^ Johnson, Robert (June 27, 2023). "Q & A With Parker Valby On Her Historic NIL Deal With Nike". Lets Run. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  24. ^ Singh, Vaibhav (28 June 2023). "NCAA 5000m Champion Parker Valby Becomes the First Female Track and Field Athlete to Sign an NIL Deal With Nike". Essentially Sports. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  25. ^ Collegiate Outdoor Athletes Of The Year — Leo Neugebauer & Parker Valby, Track & Field News, June 15, 2024
  26. ^ Parker Valby, Florida: 2024 NCAA Division I Women’s Outdoor Track & Field National Track Athlete of the Year, USTFCCCA Communications, June 17,2024
  27. ^ "Parker Valby Voted NCAA Division I National Track Athlete of the Year". Florida Gators. Retrieved 2024-06-16.
  28. ^ Florida’s Parker Valby Named Class of 2024 Honda Sport Award Winner for Cross Country, Honda Sports Award, December 8, 2023.
  29. ^ Coaches Tab Parker Valby as 2023 Lance Harter Women’s National Athlete of the Year, Florida Gators, Arik Morton, November 27, 2023.

External links