Dirk Gambrel's coach believes he could be an all-American this year and have a chance to win a national title. (Centre College Athletics Photos)
He broke his collarbone in a fall his freshman year during his first collegiate indoor hurdles race, had surgery, healed up, and was back hurdling that freshman outdoor season.
If that wasn’t enough adversity for Dirk Gambrel, he developed a sports hernia on the left side of his hip at the beginning of his junior year that made him miss fall conditioning and the indoor season when Centre College won its first Southern Athletic Association indoor title.
“That about killed me being out and not back competing until after that,” the Centre senior said.
However, the hernia injury led to something changing not only physically but also mentally with him.
“The last couple of years I have learned more about the sport and have gotten stronger and faster despite hitting that roadblock last season,” he said. “After missing time with that hernia, I knew what I wanted and made every effort to make it happen.”
Centre College coach Lisa Owens has believed from day one that he could be an All-American in both the 60- and 400-meter hurdles, set school records and have a shot at a national title after recruiting him out of Madison Central High School in Richmond, Ky.
He made the Division III national championships in the 400 hurdles in 2024 and earned second team All-American honors for placing in the top 15 nationally despite not being able to start training until just before the 2024 outdoor season started.
“A sports hernia is not very common but it happens to athletes who use their hips more often. It was pretty hard to even jog a little bit when I had the injury,” Gambrel said. “I had to go through a procedure to get cortisone shots in the hip to mitigate the pain so I could train. Fortunately I am pain free this year and able to fully train.”
Gambrel has “full confidence” he can win an indoor championship. He has a personal record in the 60-meter hurdles and knows he has more he can do in the 400 race.
The Colonels will host the Centre Indoor Showcase Saturday, the Centre Indoor Invitational Feb. 14-15, SAA Indoor Championships Feb. 28-March 1 and Centre Last Chance March 7-8 before the NCAA Indoor Championships on March 14-15 in Rochester, N.Y.
He’s not sure what a “realistic” expectation might be for his final year after making second team All-American at outdoor nationals last year.
“Given a full fall season of conditioning and being able to continue training I hope my ceiling is to be All-American and national champion,” he said. “It would be a dream come true if it all came together and that happened. I really think becoming an All-American in multiple events is not out of the question if I stay healthy.”
Knowing his track career is nearing an end has been on Gambrel’s mind “more than I want it to” but he’s grateful for what he’s already experienced.
“I think about all my experiences with teammates from high school to college. I think of all the things I have learned from them and will take all those experiences with me the rest of my life, and I am not talking about just track memories,” he said. “It will be a bittersweet memory when my career ends and I have to move on with the rest of my life but I am going to try my best to go out with a bang.”
He hopes his final meet will be May 22-24 at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Geneva, Ohio.
Gambrel, an economic and finance major, hopes to become an accountant after graduation.
“Hopefully I will eventually start a small local firm to gain experience and eventually get my CPA (certified public accountant),” he said. “I like dealing with data and numbers and understanding finances in a more direct manner than trusting someone else. I want to be able to do that myself.
“I am not ready for my track career to end but know it is going to happen, so I know I have to have a plan for when that time gets here.”
