Journey to Paris: Davis native Fiona O’Keeffe ready for the Olympic marathon
(KTXL) – Fiona O’Keeffe is headed to Paris, a fact she has known for more than two months.
“It’s nice to know that box is checked,” smiled O’Keeffe from the Team USA Summit in New York City. “It makes it all feel a little more real.”
It became real when she finished in first place at the Olympic trials for marathon. And her time of 2:22:10 set a new marathon record at trials.
“I’ve always loved to run, so that definitely helps,” said O’Keeffe. “And when I think back to a few years ago, it definitely happened a few years before I expected. Especially the marathon. I kind of grew up watching the track team at the Olympics, mostly. And thinking that’s what I want to do, like, be on the track. But the opportunity presented itself in the marathon and I was really excited to take it.”
And she has literally been running with that opportunity.
Fiona O’Keefe, who is from Davis, was a state champion in high school. In college, at Stanford, she was a Pac-12 champion, a junior national champion and a six-time all-American.
“A couple weeks ago, actually, Puma had us out to Paris to check out the course, which was very helpful,” she said. “I think it’s challenging, but I think it does kind of level the playing field, which is definitely exciting.”
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