Seidel becomes third American in history to medal in Olympic Women’s Marathon, takes bronze in Sapporo

SAPPORO - In only her third career marathon, Molly Seidel (Boston, Massachusetts / USATF New England) overcame brutally hot conditions to claim the first medal in the event by an American woman since 2004 and only the third American woman in Olympic history with a stellar run that carried her across the line in 2:27:46 for bronze.
 
Despite hopes that it would be cooler in Sapporo for the longest events, the 88 women’s marathoners faced steamy conditions even with a very early morning start, with temperatures near 80 degrees and rising, and humidity at 70%.
 
Positions changed almost constantly in the early stages as the field went through the first 5km in just over 18 minutes and 10km in 36:16, and Seidel and Sally Kipyego (Eugene, Oregon / USATF Oregon) were in a fairly large group of runners who went past 15km in 53:47, with Seidel in third at that point and Kipyego ninth. Aliphine Tuliamuk (Flagstaff, Arizona / USATF Arizona) was 41 seconds behind that duo in 62nd and eventually dropped out.
 
At the halfway point, Seidel was at 1:15:14 and still with the lead group, a few steps ahead of Kipyego at 1:15:15. Over the next few kilometers, Seidel improved her placing and was second in 1:28:51, with Kipyego at the back of the nine-woman pack in the same time but dropping back at the 26km point, and losing contact with the lead pack.
 
Eight women were running together at 30km, going past in 1:46:04 after a 17:13 5km segment and Seidel looked as comfortable as could be expected near the front of that group given the conditions. Kipyego was 36 seconds behind the leaders in 12th. Over the next three kilometers the lead pack slimmed down to five women as pace quickened and Seidel was hanging on to try and stay in contact. A 16:55 5km put the stress on Seidel, who was still in third at 2:02:59, with Kipyego 2:21 back in 15th.
 
World record holder Brigid Kosgei and world half marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya were in that lead group, along with Israel’s Lonah Salpeter, who ran 2:17:45 last year in Tokyo, but Seidel stuck with them as the racing really intensified with less than five kilometers to go. The Kenyan duo pushed the pace even harder nearing 38km and dropped Seidel and Salpeter, leaving the American about 15 meters behind and now trying to stay with Salpeter in hopes of a medal.
 
In a dramatic turn of events, Salpeter stopped just past 38km and Seidel was left in sole possession of third, about seven seconds behind the leaders. Running only the third marathon of her life, the 27-year-old Seidel was about a half minute ahead of the fourth-place runner, Ethiopia’s Roza Dereje, at 39km and ran to the left side of the course during the tree-covered segment coming up to 40km. Cutting a couple seconds off the lead held by the Kenyans, Seidel went through 40km in 2:20:05, six seconds behind.
 
Jepchirchir pulled away from Kosgei with less than two miles remaining, but Seidel couldn’t cut into the gap between her and Kosgei for the silver. The last mile confirmed Jepchirchir as the winner, 16 seconds ahead of Kosgei in 2:27:20. Kipyego finished 17th in 2:32:53.
 
Full session results are available on the World Athletics website. Team USATF returns to the track Saturday morning at 6 A.M. ET / 7 P.M. local time. The Men’s Marathon will close out the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games on Saturday at 6 P.M. ET / Sunday at 7 A.M. in Sapporo.
 
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USATF Medal Count (24)
Gold (5)
Women’s Discus Throw - Valarie Allman
Women’s 800m - Athing Mu
Women’s 400m Hurdles - Sydney McLaughlin
Men’s Shot Put - Ryan Crouser
Women’s Pole Vault - Katie Nageotte
 
Silver (12)
Women’s Shot Put – Raven Saunders
Men’s 100m – Fred Kerley
Women’s 100m Hurdles - Keni Harrison
Women’s Long Jump - Brittney Reese
Men’s 400m Hurdles - Rai Benjamin
Men’s Pole Vault - Chris Nilsen
Women’s 400m Hurdles - Dalilah Muhammad
Women’s 3,000m Steeplechase - Courtney Frerichs
Men’s 200m - Kenny Bednarek
Men’s 110m Hurdles - Grant Holloway
Men’s Shot Put - Joe Kovacs
Women’s 4x100m - Javianne Oliver, Teahna Daniels, Jenna Prandini, Gabby Thomas (Prelims: Javianne Oliver, Teahna Daniels, English Gardner, Aleia Hobbs)
 
Bronze (7)
4x400m Mixed Relay – Trevor Stewart, Kendall Ellis, Kaylin Whitney, Vernon Norwood
Women’s 800m - Raevyn Rogers
Women’s 200m - Gabby Thomas
Men’s 200m - Noah Lyles
Men’s 5,000m - Paul Chelimo
Women’s 400m - Allyson Felix
Women’s Marathon - Molly Seidel
 
World Records (1)
Women’s 400m Hurdles - Sydney McLaughlin (51.46)
 
American Records (3)
Men’s 400m Hurdles - Rai Benjamin (46.17)
Women’s 800m - Athing Mu (1:55.21)
Women’s 400m Hurdles - Sydney McLaughlin (51.46)
 
Olympic Records (1)
Men’s Shot Put - Ryan Crouser (23.30m/76-5.5)
 
USATF Statistician