TOKYO, JAPAN — Molly Seidel had only run two marathons before competing in the Tokyo Olympics. The 27-year-old from Wisconsin, on the other hand, pulled off an upset and now travels to Japan with a bronze medal around her neck.
Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir won gold in the hot and humid 26.2 mile marathon in Sapporo, Japan, while her compatriot and world record holder Brigid Kosgei took silver.
“When you’re racing, I wanted to be the person who everyone says, ‘Who the hell is this girl?'” Seidel commented after the race. “I just wanted to push my nose into places it wasn’t supposed to be and see what I could find. Every four years, you only get one chance to compete in the Olympics, so make the most of it. “
“I was overcome with emotion and started crying. This is the moment you’ve been looking forward to your entire life. This is what it takes to be a professional athlete, “she went on. Seidel finished second at the United States Olympic Trials in February 2020, behind colleague and friend Aliphine Tuliamuk, who was forced to withdraw from the Olympic race due to injury. Seidel’s only other long-distance race was the London Marathon in October.
“I was taken aback by the celebrity’s presence. I have a lot of admiration for these women. Brigid must have been within a whisker of passing me in London, “she went on.
Before the Olympic Trials, Seidel worked as a barista and a nanny.
The race was made much more challenging for the competitors by the heat. Seidel attempted to prepare for the fight by training in Arizona. “It was still challenging,” she said, “but that’s what we practice for.”
The Kenyan medalists supported each other throughout the race, jogging together for the bulk of it and even sharing a water bottle.
It’s all about working together. We decided to support each other because we wanted to be one and two. “‘Jepchirchir, ‘Jepchirchir said.
Reference:https://www.npr.org/sections/tokyo-olympics-live-updates/2021/08/07/1025711276/runner-molly-seidel-wins-olympic-bronze-marathon-tokyo-sapporo
