Fast Women: All eyes are on Paris
Track & field competion begins this week.
Issue 305, sponsored by Brooks
Let the Games begin
The Paris Olympic Games are now underway, and track & field action kicks off early Thursday morning with the 20K race walks. The first in-stadium events will take place early on Friday morning, including the first round of the 100m, and the 5,000m and 800m prelims later in the day. It looks like this is going to be the go-to link for start lists and results. Everything will be on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com, and you can find the TV listings here.
Beyond some of the storylines I’ve shared throughout the season, here are some things I’m thinking about heading into the Games.
How many events will Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands and Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia actually do? Hassan is entered in the 1500m, 5,000m, 10,000m, and marathon. Tsegay is slated to do the same, minus the marathon. By her standards, Hassan has had an unremarkable track season so far, so it will be interesting to see what she can pull off in Paris. And Tsegay had a fantastic start to her track season, running 3:50.30 for 1500m in April and 29:05.92 for 10,000m in late May, but she hasn’t raced since. I hope the fact that the Ethiopian federation entered her in three events, when they had plenty of other world-class athletes who could have taken the spots, means she’s ready to go. (There’s been talk of her dropping the 10,000m, but nothing has been confirmed.) On the other hand, the Netherlands didn’t have more than two athletes in any of Hassan’s events, so if she decides not to run something, no other Dutch athlete could have filled that slot.
Will the U.S. win any medals in the women’s middle-distance and distance events? Once you include Alysia Montaño’s upgraded medal from 2012, the U.S. women have medaled at the last five Olympic Games, and they earned four medals in Tokyo (Athing Mu, 800m gold; Courtney Frerichs, steeplechase silver; Raevyn Rogers, 800m bronze; and Molly Seidel, marathon bronze). It’s notable that none of the 2021 medalists are back three years later. Four medals would be a very tall order this time out, but Val Constien goes into the steeplechase with the third-fastest time this year and I can also imagine medal scenarios in the 800m, 1500m, and marathon. Medals in the 5,000m and 10,000m seem less likely, but I will be thrilled if someone proves me wrong. No U.S. woman has ever medaled in the Olympic 5,000m. And Shalane Flanagan (silver in 2008) and Lynn Jennings (bronze in 1992) are the only two to medal in the 10,000m.
How far can 17-year-old Phoebe Gill of Great Britain go in the 800m? I’m interested to see how Gill stacks up against the rest of the world. She ran a 1:57.86 in May and is clearly an incredible talent, but she hasn’t raced outside the UK since she made the jump to this level. Just being at the Games is a major accomplishment and anything she does in Paris will be a bonus, but I imagine she’ll be able to hold her own. More on her here.
I will also be interested to see what the athletes who competed in the NCAA this year can do in the distance events. In the 1500m, that includes Poland’s Klaudia Kazimierska (Oregon), who has been fantastic in the postseason (more about that here), New Zealand’s Maia Ramsden (Harvard), who dominated during the academic year, and Ireland’s Sophie O’Sullivan (Washington) who finished 12th in the 1500m at NCAAs, but has run 4:05.77 since, as well as 2:00.28 for 800m. Parker Valby (Florida) is the lone representative in the 10,000m. Canada’s Ceili McCabe (West Virginia), who redshirted all but the indoor track season, will run the steeplechase. And three athletes will race the 800m: Juliette Whittaker (Stanford), who swept the NCAA 800m indoors and out this year, Lithuania’s Gabija Galvydyte (Oklahoma State), who was third at NCAAs outdoors, and Arkansas’ Sanu Jallow, who was fifth at NCAAs outdoors. Jallow’s transfer of allegiance, from the U.S. to Gambia, became official on July 5.
What impact will the repechage rounds have in Paris? For the first time, all individual track events from 200m to 1500m, plus both hurdles, will have an additional round for those who don’t make it out of the first round. I’m not yet sold on the idea that this is a change track & field needed. At the same time, it’s sure to add to the drama, and I’m always up for another round of high-stakes racing. I’m sure some incredible athletes will end up in the repechage rounds, and it will be good to see them get a second chance.
Tiktok failed to load.Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
The content Olympics
Social media certainly existed during past Olympic Games, but this is the first time I feel like I can log on and really see what it’s like to be an athlete living in the Olympic Village (aka the Olympic Villa). I’ve had a TikTok account for a while now, but this is the first time I’ve found a use for it.
If you’re looking for the overall content queen of the Olympic Games, that would be rugby player Ilona Maher. My favorite single post from the Games so far is this one from the Australian field hockey team.
If you want a glimpse at life in the Olympic Village, Cheri Hawkins is a good follow. I also recommend following Gabby Thomas, Nikki Hiltz, Anna Hall, Jasmine Moore, and Parker Valby. Who else am I missing from Team USA? Track & field athletes are still much more active on Instagram, but they occasionally knock the TikTok content out of the park.
Thanks to Brooks for supporting Fast Women
If you’re one of the many fans of the original Brooks Ghost, but you’re looking for more cushion and protection, you can now pre-order the Ghost Max 2. (And it ships soon.) It features plenty of lightweight, nitrogen-infused DNA LOFT v3 foam cushioning for a protective feel and easy landings. The Ghost Max 2 is great for running daily miles, or walking. And bonus: It’s a certified CarbonNeutral® product.
Now that I’ve been introduced to more cushioned daily trainers, I don’t know that I’ll ever go back. My feet and legs fatigue less when I’m wearing them, whether I’m running, walking, or just doing errands.
Other News and Links
Marta Pen Freitas of Portugal and the Brooks Beasts shared that in May, at the start of altitude camp, she found a lump on her breast. She immediately scheduled an appointment and about two weeks later, at age 30, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her message: “Don’t wait, don’t wonder, don’t Google. If something feels off, check with a doctor.”
Adjusting to becoming one of the best in the world in the 800m has been tough at times for Keely Hodgkinson, but her coach, Trevor Painter, told Athletics Weekly she’s doing well now. “We’re starting to see the old Keely again,” he said. “She has definitely come to terms with things. She is a lot bubblier, happier and effervescent again.” I also enjoyed hearing Painter’s thoughts on the changes in both shoe technology and track surfaces.
Mary Albl wrote a nice article about sisters Juliette and Bella Whittaker, who both made the Olympic team.
I thought this was a really sweet Q&A with Annie Purrier, Elle St. Pierre’s mother.
Roberta Groner, 46, won Sunday’s NYRR Team Championship 5 Miler in 26:51. She and her Central Park Track Club teammates dedicated their wins to Marisa Galloway, who was a member of the club’s advisory board and a long time volunteer assistant coach at Fordham University. Galloway was murdered in NYC on Friday, and a fundraiser has been set up to honor her legacy.
Groner is among the athletes who will run the Marathon Pour Tous, the marathon for the masses, between the men’s and women’s Olympic marathons, on the evening of August 10th. And according to this article, Anna Camp Bennett will run the accompanying 10K.
I haven’t spent a lot of time digging into the monumental changes likely coming to the NCAA, but it’s going to be very interesting to see how Power Five conferences being allowed to pay athletes will affect Olympic sports. Under the new arrangement, cross country would have 17 women’s and 17 men’s scholarships at most, up from the current limits of six for women and five for men. For both women’s and men’s track and field, programs could have up to 45 full scholarships, with a maximum roster size of 45. The current scholarship limits are 12.6 for men and 18 for women. Many programs are unlikely to be fully funded. I imagine this is going to make it tougher for the less well off schools to compete. And some schools will have to make significant cuts to their rosters. For example, BYU cross country had 31 athletes on its women’s roster last fall. I’m also not sure how schools are going to be able to have football and remain in compliance with Title IX, without adding new women’s sports or cutting men’s.
The University of Colorado announced last week that Sean Carlson has been named the director of cross country and track & field at the University of Colorado. He’s spent the last two years at the University of Tennessee. Last fall, their women’s cross country team made it to NCAA for the first time in 17 years and finished sixth. Prior to that, he was the head men’s cross country and track and field coach at Notre Dame. Carlson discussed his new role here.
Olympian PattiSue Plumer, who was previously at the University of Texas, has been hired as an associate head coach at UCSB.
This was a nice video from On about the bond between OAC teammates Hellen Obiri of Kenya and Sintayehu Vissa of Italy.
Megan Thee Stallion will perform at the inaugural Athlos NYC track meet on September 26. Most of the time when a track meet includes a musical performer, it’s someone I’ve never heard of, or I’ve only heard of them because they’re also a track & field athlete. Alexis Ohanian is really raising the bar here.
Additional Results
Uganda’s Rachel Chebet won the Bix 7, covering the seven-mile course in 36:11. She earned $12,500 for the win. Kenya’s Grace Loibach finished second (36:20), and Maggie Montoya took third (37:13). This article about the race says defending champ Kellyn Taylor and Sara Hall scratched because they were nursing injuries. I don’t know how accurate that is. Hall’s latest Instagram post seems to suggest she’s doing alright. (Results)
Everlyn Kemboi, who was the 2023 NCAA 10,000m champion while at Utah Valley University, won the Wharf to Wharf 6 Mile in 30:29, and South Africa’s Dom Scott, of Team Boss, finished a close second in 30:33. (Results)
Savannah Berry won Wednesday’s Deseret News 10K, run on a point-to-point downhill course in Salt Lake City, in 32:21. Angie Nickerson finished second in 32:57. Madey Dickson won the half marathon in 1:13:59. (Results)
Sarah Czuprynski won the San Francisco Marathon’s 2nd Half Marathon in 1:13:03. Audrey DaDamio took second (1:13:44) and Shannon Rowbury was third (1:15:07). (Results) (Update: The results have been updated to indicate that the race was only 12.6 miles, and runners are not happy about it.)
Kenya’s Esther Gitahi won Michigan’s Ryan Shay Mile in 4:26.3 and Cailee Peterson finished second in 4:26.5. I was also impressed by Dot McMahan, 47, who finished eighth in 4:37.1. (Results)
Micaela DeGenero won the Guardian Mile in Cleveland, Ohio, in 4:34.57 and Heather MacLean finished a very close second, in 4:34.79. (Results)
At Saturday’s Meeting voor Mon in Leuven, Belgium, Great Britain’s Lizzie Bird won the 1500 in 4:06.56, and Christina Aragon (4:06.71) and Rachel McArthur (4:08.56) took second and third. Next up, Bird will run the steeplechase at the Olympic Games. Great Britain’s Katie Snowden won the 800m in 2:00.78, and Madie Boreman won the 3,000m in 8:57.78.
At the USATF New England 1 Mile Road Championships on July 21st, Jan Holmquist set an American record in the 80–84 age group, running 7:28.0. And Barbara Belanger broke the American record in the 85–89 age group, with an 11:26.0. (Results)
Correction: Last week, I meant to write that Martha Klopfer set an American 1500m record in the 85–89 age group, with a 10:54.45. But I accidentally wrote mile instead of 1500m.
Podcast Highlights
It was fun to hear from both Jess McClain and Elle St. Pierre on the Ali on the Run Show. Because it appears that McClain’s services as an Olympic alternate won’t be needed, she’s now focusing on her fall marathon, with some shorter races along the way. She didn’t say which one, but because she isn’t part of the recently announced Chicago Marathon field, I imagine we’ll see her in NYC.
Heading into the Olympic Marathon, Emily Sisson was on C Tolle Run, Fiona O’Keeffe was on Hurdle, and Dakotah Lindwurm was on RunChats with @RonRunsNYC. (The last one was recorded in June.)
I’m still appreciating Tested, the podcast about the 100-year history of sex testing in elite sports. Episodes three and four are now out. Last week, creator Rose Eveleth posted this sobering reel about what went into making the podcast. They said they are probably leaving journalism after this because they can’t figure out how to do this type of work and also pay their bills.
Great Britain’s Georgia Bell, who will be running the 1500m at the Paris Olympic Games, was on The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos. Bell is one of a growing number of elite runners who are competing at the highest level without running high mileage. Bell runs about 30 miles per week and supplements that with training on the bike.
On Nobody Asked Us, Des Linden said, among other things, that she is no longer working with an agent and she will represent herself going forward.
Sage Hurta-Klecker, Lindsey Butler, and Jess McGorty made quick appearances on the Summer of Miles podcast leading up to Sir Walter Miler, which takes place this Friday in Raleigh, North Carolina. (The race will air live on RunnerSpace, with the pro women’s race at 9:15 p.m. ET.)
Nancy Boyd, DPT discussed pelvic floor health for athletes and the impacts of low estrogen on an informative episode of The Lane 9 Podcast. There’s something in this episode for athletes of all ages.
Additional Episodes: Anna Rohrer provided a status update 33 weeks into her pregnancy on Finish Lines and Milestones (her due date is in August) | Marisa Howard on Lactic Acid with Dom and Laura (Laura Thweatt is now a co-host.) | Age-group world record holder Sue McDonald on The B.RAD Podcast
I want to say one final thank you to Brooks for their support of Fast Women over the past two months, and the next time you need new trainers, consider the Ghost Max 2.
I plan to send out extra newsletters to keep up with the Olympic action, but unless something monumental happens this week, the first extra newsletter won’t go out until next week.
Thanks to everyone who supports Fast Women on Patreon and Venmo for helping make this newsletter possible, and I hope you all have a great week.
Alison