Arkansas (2023)
Outdoor: SEC bronze medalist in the 3,000m steeplechase with a time of 10:07.19 after falling during the race … Posted a time of 10:19.73 at NCAA West preliminary round, where a fall late in the race hampered her finish … Competing internationally during the summer, supplied points for Portugal at the European Team Championships held in Poland, finishing fifth in the steeplechase with a time of 9:55.56 … Won Portugal national title in steeplechase with a 10:14.93 effort after a 10:05.08 victory in Viana do Castelo a week earlier … Finished second in 5,000m (17:21.94) at Portugal national meet … Established a career best in 3,000m at Viana do Castelo on July 12 with a 9:27.17 runner-up finish …
Opened outdoor season placing third in steeplechase at Stanford Invitational with a PR of 9:54.59 … Set career best of 9:50.86 for sixth in steeplechase at Bryan Clay Invitational, and added a PR of 4:22.99 in the 1,500m … A career best 16:19.35 in the Drake Relays 5,000m placed 13th.
Indoor: Finished third in the mile with a career best 4:45.77 in her Razorback debut at Arkansas Invitational … Clocked 4:46.33 for the mile at Razorback Invitational … During the Husky Classic hosted by Washington, clocked 4:47.21 in the mile and 9:28.95 in the 3,000m … Ran 4:46.50 in the mile at Arkansas Qualifier to place ninth.
COLLEGE
Competed at Eastern Kentucky and Ole Miss … In 2022 cross country season with Ole Miss, finished 18th in SEC Championships (20:26.8, 6k) and placed 24th at NCAA South Region (20:29.0, 6k) to earn All-Region honor … During 2022 track and field season at Eastern Kentucky, placed 17th in NCAA Championship semifinal of steeplechase with a 10:03.13 … Established a career best of 9:58.50 in placing 10th in NCAA East Preliminary round … Gold medalist in steeple (10:07.54) and silver medalist in 1,500m (4:25.51) at ASUN Championships … Posted career best times of 16:46.12 to win 5,000m at Clark Wood Invitational and 4:24.52 for third in 1,500m at Kentucky Invitational … In ASUN Indoor Championships, placed third in 5,000m (16:58.10) and fourth in 3,000m (9:40.51) … Produced 3,000m best of 9:27.07 on oversized track for 11th at Music City Challenge …
In 2021 cross country season at Eastern Kentucky, placed eighth in ASUN (17:20.4, 5k) and finished 21st in NCAA Southeast Region to earn All-Region honor … During 2021 track and field season, silver medalist in steeplechase at OVC Championships and placed 16th overall at NCAA East Preliminary round … Won 2020 OVC cross country title, which was held in March of 2021 due to covid, and competed in the NCAA Championships hosted by Oklahoma State …
Member of Portugal track and field national team in 2019, 2021 … Competed in 2019 European U23 Championships in Gävle, 2021 European U23 Championships in Tallinn, and 2022 FISU Cross Country Championships in Aveiro … Placed 11th in steeplechase (10:23.39) in Tallinn after setting then PR of 10:06.42 in prelims … Runner-up in steeple (10:15.72) at 2021 Club Championships held in Guimarães … Third in steeple at 2019 Portugal Junior Championships, then placed fourth in Portugal national championship meet …
Career best marks include: 4:24.52 (1,500m), 9:58.50 (3k Steeplechase)
Indoors: 4:56.84 (mile), 9:27.07 OT (3,000m), 9:40.51 (3,000m), 16:58.10 (5,000m)
HIGH SCHOOL
2018 graduate of Escola Secundaria Campos de Melo in Covilhã, Portugal … Competed with Sporting Clube de Portugal in Lisbon, coached by Nogueira da Costa … Member of Portuguese cross country national team in 2018 and competed in the European U20 Championships held in Tiburg.
PERSONAL
Laura de Jesus Mendes Taborda was born January 1, 1999, in Covilhã, Portugal … Daughter of Miguel Silvestre Taborda and Maria de Jesus Pedro Mendes … Has a sister, Diana … Plans to major in Operations Management … Career plans include competing professionally and life ambition is to be an Olympic athlete … Favorite athlete is Soufiane El Bakkali from Morocco, the men’s 2021 Tokyo Olympic gold medalist and 2022 World Champion in the 3,000m steeplechase … Person she most admires is her mom … Chose Arkansas because of the history of excellence in sports, the coaches and the people.
