Stanford Track and Field Team Celebrates Big With Triple Top 5 Finishes at USA Olympic Marathon Trials

When Fiona O’Keefee threw herself over the red ribbon in the US Olympic marathon trial yesterday, Joan Benoit Samuelson must have felt eclectic. The first woman to champion the Olympic marathon in 1984 held the rare record of winning the trial at her age. However, Fiona O’Keefee has just toppled that record yesterday afternoon. But the situation wasn’t on her side overall. The 25-year-old was the debutant marathon runner yesterday. Moreover, she had to overcome multiple numero unos to claim her berth in the trial. Eventually, she did, keeping herself steady in the first place. 

But in Orlando yesterday, O’Keefee found several faces along with her who shared a similar grown-up as she did once. The prized connection couldn’t come to a better situation than an Olympic marathon trial. 

The 2024 Olympic marathon trial and Stanford athletics 

Yesterday the Olympic marathon trial concluded with some unfamiliar expressions and the known elation among the sprinters. Previously, there were heavy rumors surrounding the women’s contention, with Sara Hall being speculated as the probable winner. Jessica McClain made her cut with her parable of no sponsor and no coaching support background. However, Fiona O’Keefee made an astounding link with these two apart from edging them out yesterday. The X-handle of Stanford cross country and track & field found that link and expressed that in its post from yesterday. “Fiona O’Keeffe is headed to Paris!! Fiona wins the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials! Fiona, Stanford class of ‘20, led three Card into the top 5along with Jessica McClain in fourth and Sara Hall in fifth! Incredible!” it conceded. 

Eventually, the 25-year-old sprinter holds a degree in Earth Systems from Stanford University. Along with that, she also flaunts the coveted 2019 Pac-12 cross-country championship in Stanford’s color. Meanwhile, the two veterans from the list share older connections with the program. Sara Hall was a pass out of the 2005 class from Stanford, whereas Jessica McClain had nurtured her connection a little younger than Hall. She was in the 2014 class. But apart from these three, the program has several other inductees who were at the Olympic marathon contention in the past. 

Stanford’s connection to marathons dates long back 

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics comes first in that discussion. Last time, Canadian Malindi Elmore had claimed the 9th position in the final. She was from the 2002 class of Stanford. Nancy Ditz’s participation went too much older years in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. The American long-distance runner had a 17th position in the Olympic marathon final. several men had made once in the Olympic marathon, having Stanford’s background. 

Read more: Olympic Marathon Trials: Live Updates, Results, And More

The US-born Don Kardong was the most successful in that bunch. He had taken the 4th position in the Montreal Olympics in 1976. But as of now, nobody has achieved the podium yet. Fiona O’Keefee will certainly try to break that jinx.

Watch this story: Noah Lyles Is All In, Rooting for the $155m Esports Giants at Worlds 2023