O'Keefe, Mantz win US Marathon Trials to reach Paris Olympics / Photo: Mike Ehrmann - GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
O'Keefe, Mantz win US Marathon Trials to reach Paris Olympics
Fiona O'Keefe, making her marathon debut, won the US Olympic Marathon Trials women's title on Saturday to qualify for the Paris Olympics while Conner Mantz took the men's crown.
O'Keefe, who qualified based upon a half-marathon showing, completed the 26.2-mile layout in Orlando, Florida, in two hours, 22 minutes and 10 seconds -- the fastest time in US women's Olympic trials history.
That was enough to defeat runner-up Emily Sisson, the former US marathon record-holder, by 32 seconds with Dakotah Lindwurm taking the third and final women's berth in Paris in 2:25:31.
"We showed up in a little bit of tough conditions so I think we're going to be ready to rock and roll in Paris," O'Keefe said.
Sisson, twice a top-10 finisher at 10,000 meters at the world championships, finished 10th in the 10,000m at the Tokyo Olympics but is happy not to have Covid pandemic restrictions this time around.
"I feel so emotional," she said. "I had my family and friends out here watching me and I made my second Olympic team and they get to come with me this time. Over the moon. I'm elated."
On the men's side, Mantz won the US men's marathon trials in 2:09:05 with pal and training partner Clayton Young second by one second to also book a Paris Olympic spot.
Leonard Korir was third in 2:09:57 but must wait until May to learn if international rankings will give the United States a third berth in the Paris Olympic men's marathon.
L.Scott--EWJ
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