World Athletics reports that Conner Mantz and marathon debutante Fiona O’Keeffe secured their selection for Paris by winning the US Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando on Saturday (3).

The races played out in contrasting fashion; O’Keeffe made an ambitious break with more than seven miles to go in the women’s race and then went on to win by more than half a minute in 2:22:10.

Mantz, meanwhile, worked alongside Clayton Young in the closing stages to move past long-time leader Zachery Panning. The duo ran together for the final two-and-a-half miles until the last few meters when Mantz edged ahead to win in 2:09:05.

A pack of 12 women ran together in the early stages, passing five miles at 27:03 and 10 miles at 54:27. O’Keeffe was part of that pack alongside many other vital contenders, including Emily Sisson, Keira D’Amato, Sara Hall, Caroline Rotich, Betsy Saina, Dakotah Lindwurm, and Lindsay Flanagan.

D’Amato led the pack as they reached the halfway point in 1:11:43, putting them well on schedule to finish inside the Olympic qualifying time of 2:26:50. But by 16 miles, D’Amato had fallen a few seconds behind the lead pack, which was now down to nine.

O’Keeffe started to stretch ahead of the field shortly before the 19-mile point. The other leading opponents, most seasoned marathon runners, opted not to go with her, but it proved a decisive move for the marathon novice.

O’Keeffe’s lead grew with each mile. At one point, at mile 25, she had a 40-second lead over Sisson. Further back, Hall’s challenge was fading, but Lindwurm was making her way through the field. Meanwhile, D’Amato, Saina, and Jenny Simpson, making her marathon debut, all withdrew at various points in the second half.

But up front, O’Keeffe was having the race of her life, and she went on to cross the finish line in 2:22:10. Sisson claimed the runner-up spot in 2:22:42, while Lindwurm took third place in 2:25:31, all three women securing their selection for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The men’s race started with a decent-sized lead pack of about ten men passing through 10 miles in 49:07. By the halfway mark, reached in 1:14:07, eight men, led by Panning, were still in contention.

At 19 miles, a lead trio comprising Penning, Mantz, and Young managed to break away from the rest of the pack. By this point, the leaders were on course for a 2:07:40 finish – comfortably inside the Olympic qualifying standard of 2:08:10. Only two US men – Mantz and Young – have achieved that mark within the qualifying period. Still, this event allowed other athletes to chase that time.

Panning continued to lead through the 23-mile point, but his fatigue soon became apparent. Mantz and Young broke away from Panning, opening up a sizeable gap on the rest of the field, while Elkanah Kibet and Leonard Korir passed Panning in the closing stages.

Young and Mantz ran together for the final two miles, and at one point, it seemed as though they’d cross the line in unison, but Mantz edged ahead right before the line to claim victory in 2:09:05. Young followed one second later, guaranteeing his Olympic selection in 2:09:06.

Korir took third place in 2:09:57, five seconds ahead of Kibet.

World 10,000m silver medallist Daniel Ebenyo and Emmaculate Anyango lived up to their pre-race favorite status by emerging victorious at Sirikwa Classic – a World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting – in Kenya’s Eldoret town on Saturday (3), Michelle Katami reports for World Athletics.

As the leading athlete in the men’s senior race, Ebenyo was among the front athletes in the big pack when they went past the first lap in 6:07. Frequent frontrunner Ebenyo took a more economical approach this time, sitting with the rest of the group which also had world U20 cross-country champion Ishmael Kipkurui.

With three laps to go, Ebenyo and Kipkurui were still side by side, leading a pack of more than 10 athletes. Ebenyo finally managed to break from Kipkurui on the final lap and stayed in command to win his first Sirikwa Classic title in 29:16.

“This win means my training is going well,” said Ebenyo, who claimed world silver medals last year over 10,000m and at the half marathon. “There is no magic in athletics; you must train well. The race was perfect, and the competition was fantastic – I respect Kipkurui.

“I love competing, and I like cross country; it’s good for building up to the track session,” added Ebenyo. “I feel happy to win at home. I love running at home with the locals; it gives them motivation, too.”

Ebenyo revealed that he developed a stitch after the first lap and considered dropping out of the race, but his coach encouraged him to see it through.

“It would have been shameful for me to drop out,” said Ebenyo. “My coach kept reminding me it’s not over until over.”

Kipkurui was a close second in 29:18, while Weldon Langat completed the podium in 29:26.

“The race was difficult because everyone was competitive, and the sun was too hot,” said Kipkurui. “My plan now is to go to the African Cross Country Championships and the World Cross and then prepare for the Olympics, where I want to participate in the 5000m.”

Emmaculate Anyango – the second-fastest woman in history over 10km with her recent 28:57 – made her intentions known from the outset of the women’s race. She, alongside world half marathon silver medallist Catherine Amanang’ole, Grace Nawomuna Loibach, and Joyciline Jepkosgei, led the pack for the first lap in a swift 6:59, which forced many of the field to drop back.

Anyango then increased her pace and covered the second lap in 6:11 to gradually open a gap between her and Amanang’ole. By the third lap, Anyango had increased her lead to about 250 meters, with Amanang’ole and Jepkosegi trailing behind.

Anyango cut the tape in 32:55, winning by a comfortable 15 seconds from Jepkosgei, the former world half marathon record-holder. Amanang’ole took third place in 33:18, eight seconds behind Jepkosgei.

“The race was beautiful,” said an upbeat Anyango. “I gave my best, although I felt cold in my chest at some point, but that was not a big problem. I promised myself to win, and I did it. I like to run fast, that is it. It is one way for me: when I step on the course, I step on it. I am competitive, and I go for it. If you run slow, someone else can beat you at the finish. So, first come, first served.

“My plan now is to prepare for the World Cross Country,” she added. I want to achieve something there, then if all goes well, I will be at the Olympic Games.”

Jepkosgei, the former New York and London Marathon champion, was happy with her outing.

“The pace was too fast after the first lap, so I decided to stay back and run my race,” she said. “I’m happy that I closed the gap and took second place. Cross country forms part of my speed work.”

In the U20 women’s 6km, world U20 3000m bronze medallist Nancy Cherop led a pack of 10 athletes for the first two laps. The group was reduced to six athletes in a single file, eventually down to three, including Judy Kemunto and Mercy Chepkemoi.

Chepkemoi took the lead on the last lap and won at 20:10 ahead of Diana Chepkemoi, who clocked 20:12. Sheila Jebet sneaked in third place with 20:14.

Mathew Kipchoech won the U20 men’s 8km event. A large pack headed into the second lap, but the group soon broke up. Gideon Kipngetich and Samuel Kibathi took the lead on the third lap, with Charles Rotich close behind. Kipchoech struck on the last lap and led to the finish to win in 23:32 from Kibathi and Rotich.