Former University of Regina cross country and track & field star Kelly Wiebe was inducted into the Canada West Hall of Fame on Wednesday.
Wiebe was at the forefront of the Cougar teams that raised a Canada West men's cross country banner in 2009 and back-to-back men's track & field banners in 2010 and 2011. He put an exclamation mark on an already-spectacular career during a 2012-13 season which saw him win the individual championship at the CIS cross country meet in the fall before following that up with a record-breaking Canada West performance and a CIS gold medal in the 3000-metre run in the spring.
"I've never been around an athlete more competitive on race day than Kelly," said Bruce McCannel, former Cougars track & field head coach. "Every time he lined up for a race it was exciting because our team knew exactly what to expect. He would run through anything to be his best and to improve on what he had done before. Because of his talent and his relentless effort in training, Kelly's best was often good enough to be the best in the entire country."
Wiebe also placed third overall and won the Canada West individual crown at the CIS Cross Country Championships in both 2009 and 2010, giving him three first-team All-Canadian awards for his cross country career.
On the track, Wiebe's career was highlighted by the jaw-dropping time of 8:06.87 that he put up in the 3000 at the conference championships in 2013, a mark which still stands as the Canada West record. That gave him his fourth Canada West gold medal as he also took first place in the 3000 during the 2008, 2009, and 2010 meets.
While McCannel was the program's head coach, Wiebe's training was structured by distance coach Dr. Graeme McMaster during his time with the Cougars. Wiebe joined the team as a raw athlete out of Swift Current, but quickly developed into one of the top runners in the nation under McMaster's tutelage.
And that talent extended well beyond the university track & field scene. He was a three-time participant for Team Canada at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, crossed the finish line in first place out of more than 50,000 runners at the Vancouver Sun Run in 2012, and won the 10K at the Canadian Track & Field Championships in 2015. His mark of 8:06.87 in the 3000 is still the second fastest ever registered by a Saskatchewan resident.
He also excelled in the classroom, earning Academic All-Canadian honours twice for his accomplishments while enrolled in the Faculty of Engineering & Applied Science. Wiebe, who stepped away from competitive running in 2015, is a project coordinator at ICON Construction in Regina.
Wiebe becomes the sixth former University of Regina student-athlete to be inducted into the Canada West Hall of Fame, joining Ali Bernard (women's wrestling), Cymone Bouchard (women's basketball), Jason Clermont (Rams football), Joell Fiddler (women's hockey), and Brandy West-McMaster (women's hockey). Former University of Regina Athletics Director Dick White is also an inducted member of the Canada West Hall of Fame in the builders category.
