Sports
Mantz and O’Keeffe Triumph at U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, Securing Spots for Paris
Conner Mantz, Clayton Young, Fiona O’Keeffe, Emily Sisson, and Dakotah Lindwurm secured their spots for the 2024 Paris Olympics by finishing in the top three at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials held in Orlando.
Mantz, 27, crossed the finish line first in the men’s race with a time of 2 hours, 9 minutes, and 5 seconds. Meanwhile, 25-year-old O’Keeffe, in her first professional marathon, set a stunning record as she ran the fastest-ever women’s time at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, finishing in 2:22:10.
Clayton Young, 30, came in second in the men’s race with a time of 2:09:06, securing his spot for the Paris Olympics alongside his college teammate and training partner, Mantz. Leonard Korir, the third-place finisher, born in Iten, Kenya, and who gained U.S. citizenship in 2016, may still have a chance to unlock a spot by May 5.
On the women’s side, O’Keeffe (2:22:10), Sisson (2:22:42), and Lindwurm (2:25:31) finished first, second, and third respectively, earning their spots for the Olympic marathon in Paris.
O’Keeffe’s record-breaking victory is even more impressive considering the strong competition, including athletes like Sisson, Keira D’Amato, and Sara Hall, who have some of the fastest U.S. women’s marathon times in history.
The race in Orlando was challenging due to the hot weather, leading to several Olympic hopefuls falling back or dropping out, including fan-favorites Galen Rupp, Scott Fauble, and Abdi Abdirahman.
Molly Seidel, the bronze medalist at the Tokyo Olympic marathon, was unable to participate in the trials due to a knee injury.
Mantz and Young, who had demonstrated their speed in previous races, ran an impressive race in Orlando, securing their long-awaited spots for the Paris Olympics.
O’Keeffe, a marathon debutant and alumna of Stanford University, expressed her disbelief and joy at winning the trials in her first professional marathon.
Paris will be Sisson’s second Olympics, having previously appeared in the Tokyo Games in the 10,000m event. Lindwurm, known as an underdog, defied expectations and secured her first Olympic spot at the age of 28.
