Connor Mantz and Fiona O’Keeffe win U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials

There weren’t many surprises on the men’s side at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando on Saturday, but the women’s race was dominated by a newcomer, Fiona O’Keeffe, who broke the tape in her debut marathon in 2:22:10, well under the Olympic “A” standard of 2:26:50 she needed to gain automatic entry into Team U.S.A. for Paris 2024. It was also an event record–the fastest time ever recorded by a woman at the US Olympic marathon trials. American record holder Emily Sisson, who was considered a favourite and who will take the second spot on Team USA, was 32 seconds behind O’Keeffe (2:22:42), and Dakota Lindwurm (2:25:31) will round out the team for the Paris Olympic marathon on Aug. 11.

Connor Mantz, touted as a favourite in the men’s race, won a sprint finish (2:09:05) against Clayton Young (who was also flagged as a contender, and who finished one second back, in 2:09:06). Leonard Korir took third, in 2:09:57. Mantz and Young already had the Olympic A standard of 2:08:10 and will therefore be selected for Team U.S.A.; Korir would have to race again and achieve the standard to be assured of the final position on the squad.

Zachery Panning led the men’s race til about 37 km, but ended up finishing in sixth place. Elkanah Kibet and CJ Albertson took fourth and fifth. Jessica McClain and Sara Hall took fourth and fifth in the women’s race. 

There wasn’t a lot on O’Keeffe’s resume that would be considered predictive of today’s result; she is a NACAC silver medallist in the 5,000m from 2022; she also won the US 10-mile road championships that year, in Minneapolis. But the marathon is a considerable step up from those distances, and athletes usually get better with experience, so the future bodes well for the 2024 champion.

Thirteen women had already achieved the Olympic standard going into Saturday’s trials, where the top three men and women would be selected, provided they had the standard. For Lindwurm, a veteran of the marathon but a dark horse, Saturday’s result was a dream come true. Over the past five years, she’s steadily whittled down her personal best to 2:24:40 (from the 2023 Chicago Marathon, where she finished 12th; this was under the Olympic standard during the qualification period, so if she made the podium on Saturday, her selection was guaranteed).

Two-time Olympian in the marathon, Galen Rupp, finished 16th.

Jenny Simpson had to step off the course, an unfortunate end to her first marathon (she, like debutant Paul Chelimo, who also registered a DNF, had qualified with a half-marathon time, which will no longer be allowed after this year). Former American record holder Keira D’Amato, who was also touted as a contender in Saturday’s race, also DNF’d; her last recorded split was at 20 miles. In a Strava post she said, “The heat was no joke.” (The marathon, originally scheduled for 12 noon, was rescheduled for 10 a.m. local time after pressure from athletes and coaches due to the forecasted warm temperatures; many would likely have welcomed a considerably earlier start time.)

The men’s and women’s Olympic marathons will take place in Paris on August 10 and August 11, respectively.

Top 10 men

1. Connor Mantz 2:09:05
2. Clayton Young 2:09:06
3. Leonard Korir 2:09:57
4. Elkanah Kibet 2:10:02
5. CJ Albertson 2:10:07
6. Zachery Panning 2:10:50
7. Nathan Martin 2:11:00
8. Josh Izewski 2:11:09
9. Reed Fischer 2:11:34
10. Colin Bennie 2:12:17

Top 10 women

1. Fiona O’Keeffe 2:22:10
2. Emily Sisson 2:22:42
3. Dakota Lindwurm 2:25:31
4. Jessica McClain 2:25:46
5. Sara Hall 2:26:06
6. Caroline Rotich 2:26:10
7. Makenna Myler 2:26:14
8. Lindsay Flanagan 2:27:56
9. Emily Durgin 2:27:56
10. Annie Frisbie 2:27:56

For full results, click here.