Fiona O'Keeffe wins U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in marathon debut
Fiona O'Keeffe became the first woman to win the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in her marathon debut.
O'Keeffe, 25, clocked 2 hours, 22 minutes, 10 seconds, in Orlando, Florida, to beat a field that included the four fastest Americans in history and make her first Olympic team. It was the fastest women's time in Olympic Trials history.
She was followed by American record holder Emily Sisson, who made her second Olympic team after placing 10th in the 10,000m in Tokyo, and first-time Olympian Dakotah Lindwurm to round out the three-woman team for Paris.
O'Keeffe was sixth in the 5000m at the 2022 USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships, the missed the 2023 USATF Outdoors due to an ankle infection that ultimately required surgery.
MARATHON TRIALS: Results
Sisson was arguably the favorite at the Tokyo Olympic Trials but dropped out of that race, saying her legs were “destroyed” on the hilly Atlanta course.
Sara Hall, the fourth-fastest American in history, placed fifth in a bid to make her first Olympic team in her eighth career Olympic Trials race dating to 2004 (track and marathon).
Keira D'Amato, the second-fastest American in history, dropped back from the lead pack in the 16th mile.
Aliphine Tuliamuk, the Tokyo Olympic Trials winner, lost contact with the leaders in the seventh mile and dropped out before the 11th. Tuliamuk said Friday that she was at about 75 to 80 percent working her way back from a partial hamstring tear that kept her out of October's Chicago Marathon.
Two contenders withdrew in the lead up to the race.
Molly Seidel, the Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist, announced her withdrawal on Thursday, citing a knee injury. Four years ago, Seidel was second at the trials to become the first woman to make a U.S. Olympic marathon team in her marathon debut.
Emma Bates, the third-fastest U.S. female marathoner of 2023, bowed out Jan. 7, saying then, “There’s just not enough time to be where I need to be.”
NBC Sports’ track and field coverage continues Sunday with the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston, featuring world champions Noah Lyles and Fred Kerley meeting in the 60m. NBC, NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app and Peacock air live coverage from 4-6 p.m. ET.
The next major marathon is the Tokyo Marathon on March 3, featuring two-time Olympic gold medalist Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya and Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan, who ran the second-fastest women's marathon time in history at October's Chicago Marathon.
