O'Keeffe smashes women's US Olympic trials record in marathon debut, earns spot in Paris Games

Fiona O'Keeffe smashed women's U.S. Olympic marathon trials record in her debut at distance on a warm Saturday to secure her spot in Paris Games.

O'Keeffe finished in a time 2 hours, 22 minutes, 10 seconds to break American marathon trials mark of 2:25:38 set by Shalane Flanagan in 2012 in Houston. Emily Sisson, U.S. marathon record holder, was second and Dakotah Lindwurm surged into third to make Team USA for Paris.

On men's side, training partners and good friends Conner Mantz and Clayton Young finished 1-2 to qualify for Paris. y celebrated with crowd as y me ir way to finish line. Mantz finished in a time of 2:09:05 as Young gave way near end and finished a second behind.

Leonard Korir used a late surge to take third, but he now plays waiting game until May to see if a third Olympic spot is unlocked on American men's marathon side. He finished in 2:09.57, just off time (2:08.10) he needed to guarantee a spot in Paris Games.

It was around 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15.5 Celsius) at start of race, with temperatures climbing into 70s. In November, officials moved up time of race to 10 a.m. out of wear concerns.

O'Keeffe soaked in moment after her surprise finish.

“I was not expecting this performance,” O'Keeffe said in a postrace interview. “I h to pinch myself with eight miles to go and be like: Stay calm. Don't freak out.'” For Sisson, it was redemption after dropping out late in race at marathon trials in Atlanta in February 2020. Lindwurm, a onetime goaltender on her high school ice hockey team in Minnesota, went to Florida in December to get used to wear.

Molly Seidel, who captured Olympic bronze at Tokyo Games, didn't take start line because of a knee injury.

Mantz and Young were teammates at BYU and are trained by two-time Olympic marathoner Ed Eyestone. Working toger throughout race, Mantz and Young began pulling away with about three miles remaining. Young even turned around his hat — before later ditching it — to get down to business.

Young, who h knee surgery a year ago, energized crowd by raising his arms to generate more applause down homestretch.

It was ir stage and y enjoyed moment — toger.

Two-time defending U.S. marathon trials champion Galen Rupp wound up in 16th place. At 47, Abdi Abdirahman was trying to make his sixth Olympic team, but he dropped out during race.

course along streets of Orlando started with a 2 1/2-mile loop before branching into three eight-mile loops on fairly flat course.