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Jenny Simpson, Olympic medalist and world champion runner, collapses during race

By
FOX Local
Olympics
Published June 17, 2026 6:28 PM EDT
Published June 17, 2026 6:28 PM EDT
article

FILE - Bronze medalist Jennifer Simpson of the United States poses during the medal ceremony for the Women's 1500m Final on Day 12 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 17, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Julian Fin

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The Brief

    • Jenny Simpson, an Olympic medalist, collapsed during a race in North Carolina on Tuesday evening.
    • Simpson, who won bronze at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, was transported to a hospital where she is receiving "excellent medical care."
    • CPR was performed on Simpson after she collapsed, and a defibrillator was also used before she was transported.

Olympic bronze medalist and world champion 1,500-meter runner Jenny Simpson collapsed during an event in North Carolina on Tuesday. 

CPR was performed on Simpson at the track and an automated external defibrillator was also used before she was taken to the hospital. 

What we know:

Simpson, 39, was participating in a community track event hosted by Sir Walter Running before she collapsed. 

A statement from the Sir Walter Running team shared on Instagram that Simpson is receiving "excellent medical care." 

What they're saying:

"We are incredibly grateful to the individuals who responded immediately, as well as EMS and the medical professionals who handled the situation with such care, urgency, and professionalism," the "Sir Walter Running Team" wrote on social media on Wednesday.

Fleet Feet, of which Simpson is a chief running officer, shared that the Olympic athlete is recovering with "her family" supporting her.

"Jenny Simpson attended the Sir Walter Running Pop Up Mile event last night. Several members of the Fleet Feet team were present as runners, spectators and supporters of the event in a personal capacity. Jenny is surrounded by an excellent team of healthcare professionals, and our focus remains on supporting her, her family and her recovery. Out of respect for Jenny's privacy, we will not be sharing additional details at this time," according to an emailed statement from Fleet Feet. 

What we don't know:

It is unknown what caused Simpson to collapse as of this report. 

The backstory:

Simpson won the bronze medal in the 1,500 meters at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. She also won the 1,500 at the 2011 world championships, along with silver medals in 2013 and 2017.

The Source: Information for this article was taken from The Associated Press and TMZ. This story was reported from San Jose. 

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