U.S. Olympic marathon runner Fiona O'Keeffe is approaching the Paris Games with an open mind and a determination to compete at her best, refusing to place limitations on her potential performance.
"I want to go and just compete to the best of my abilities," O'Keeffe told uInterview in May. The 25-year-old expressed excitement about the team representing the United States in the marathon event.
O'Keeffe's journey to the Olympics began in middle school when she joined the track team in fifth grade. "It just started out as loving the sport," she reflected. Her passion for running has remained constant as she gradually increased her training regimen and moved up in distance over the years, eventually finding her niche in the marathon.
The transition to longer distances has proven successful for O'Keeffe. In December 2023, she made headlines by winning the California International Marathon in Sacramento with a time of 2:22:10, setting a course record and securing her spot on the U.S. Olympic team.
As she prepares for the international stage in Paris, O'Keeffe acknowledges the importance of rigorous training while drawing confidence from her experience in domestic road races. "I have experienced domestic road races where we have a lot of Kenyans and Ethiopians coming over, so it's not going to be totally new to me having that international competition," she explained.
When asked about the possibility of winning a medal, O'Keeffe remained grounded. "Of course, everyone dreams of a medal," she admitted. "But I'm trying to keep my head down and stay focused on executing the day to day right now the best that I can."
O'Keeffe's rise in the running world has been marked by consistent improvement. During her collegiate career at Stanford, she earned multiple All-American honors in cross country and track. In 2019, she set a collegiate record in the indoor 5,000 meters with a time of 15:03.54.
As the Paris Olympics approach, O'Keeffe joins a strong U.S. marathon team that includes fellow qualifiers Emily Sisson and Betsy Saina. The women's marathon is scheduled for August 11, 2024, with the course winding through the historic streets of Paris.
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