“I just really didn't want to have any regrets today” - Fiona O’Keeffe on winning U.S. Olympic Marathon trials

American long-distance runner Fiona O’Keeffe became the first woman to win the US Olympic Marathon Trials on her debut on Saturday (February 3). The 25-year-old, who had never run a full marathon before, clinched the stunning victory along with an Olympic berth and a spellbinding race record.

At the US Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando, the athlete created a race record by running 2 hours 22 minutes and 10 secs. On the other hand, Emily Sisson, the American record holder in the distance, finished second in 2 hours 22 minutes and 42 secs. The third-place finisher Dakotah Lindwurm clocked 2 hours 25 minutes and 31 secs.

With her timing, O’Keeffe broke the age-old Olympic Trials marathon record set by legendary athlete Joan Benoit at the 1984 Summer Olympics. She was the youngest woman to win an Olympic Trials marathon on her debut that year with a timing of 2 hours 24 minutes and 52 secs.

After the trials, O’Keeffe told FloTrack that she did not want to have any regrets regarding her performance. She said:

"This is going to sound corny, but I just really didn't want to have any regrets today. I didn’t know if [breaking away] would be a mistake or not, so I just wanted to go for it and see what happens. I do trust the timing and the preparation I put in.”

Fiona O’Keeffe was leading a pack of five runners when she was in the 19th mile. She continued to lead even when she was left with eight miles to win the race.

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Fiona O’Keeffe’s journey as an athlete so far

O’Keeffe at US Olympic Trial: Track & Field (Marathon)

Fiona O’Keeffe grew up in Davis, California, and studied in the Davis Senior High School. In 2016, she won the CIF California State Meet title in the 3200 meters category and was a two-time state cross-country champion. In the same year, she conquered 5000 meters at the USATF U20 Outdoor Championships with 15:56.84, becoming the sixth-fastest high school performer of all time.

Moreover, from 2016 to 2019, she signed a contract with the Stanford Cardinal track and field program. At Stanford, she qualified for six NCAA Division I Championships and was placed third at the 2019 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships in the 5000m category.

After turning pro in 2021, she made headlines by achieving a sixth-place finish in 5,000 meters at the 2022 Outdoor Track and Field National Championships.

In 2023, Fiona O’Keeffe missed a couple of crucial races due to an ankle injury. However, the young athlete is now all set to make her debut in the 2024 Paris Olympics after making history at the US Olympics Trials.