Junior Cipura wins NAIA National Championship

Roberts Wesleyan College junior indoor track and field participant Kim Cipura from Hilton won the NAIA National Championship in the women's 5K race March 6. The meet was held in Johnson City, Tennessee. Overall Roberts finished in 10th place, their best ever finish at the NAIA nationals.

Cipura ran the 5K in a time of 17:40.61 beating her nearest competitor by over eight seconds. With this time she also broke her previous Roberts record, that stood at 17:48.67, by over seven seconds.

Cipura also recently participated in the NCCAA National Championships, helping her team to a 4th place finish. During this time she finished second in the 5K race and third in the 3K race. For the weekend, she was named the NCCAA Outstanding Female Athlete of the meet for her overall finishing and contribution to her team.

Cipura is also an avid cross country runner, and in the fall led the Raiders to a second place finish in the American Mideast Conference and a fourth place finish at the NCCAA National Championships. Individually she finished fifth in the AMC and seventh at NCCAA nationals.

The next step for the athlete is outdoor track and field competition as she looks to continue her success in the AMC, NCCAA and NAIA championships.