Tom McKibbon attended college at Long Beach State, graduating in 1968, and then did graduate work at UCLA. He rowed for the Long Beach Rowing Association and later coached that club. McKibbon was a sculler who won the National Association of Amateur Oarsmen (NAAO) singles title in 1968, when he was a spare for the Olympic team in the single sculls. He and John Van Blom formed a strong doubles team, winning the 1969 and 1970 NAAO title, the double sculls at the 1970 Henley Royal Regatta and the 1969 European Championships, and placing third at the 1970 World Championships. With John Nunn, McKibbon won a bronze medal at the 1971 Pan American Games. McKibbon became a college professor.