Fiona O'Keeffe
Women's Marathon
Qualifying Time: 1:09:34
Qualifying Race: 2023 Raleigh Holiday Half Marathon
Date of Birth
05/24/98
Age on Race Day
25
Current Residence
Cary, NC
Hometown
Sacramento, CA
High School
Davis Senior High School
Current Affiliation
Puma Elite Running
First Trials qualification
No
Previous Trials
2021 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field 10,000m
Number of attempts to qualify
1
College(s)
Stanford University, University of New Mexico
Career Highlights
2022 USATF 10 Mile Champion; set PR of 1:07:42 at 2022 Aramco Houston Half Marathon in debut at the distance; 2nd, 2022 NACAC Championship at 5,000m; also represented U.S. at 2023 World Road Running Championships at 5K; 2016 U.S. Junior Champion, 5,000m; 7-time All-American; 2019 Pac-12 cross country team and individual champion
Family
I'm very grateful to have a wonderful family who are enthusiastic about running; my parents, Malcolm and Liv, both ran in high school. My younger sister, Olivia, is a talented athlete in her own right, although she's since focused on her psychology research. Most of my extended family is still based in the Sacramento area, where I grew up. My paternal grandfather ran the hurdles competitively while in the Navy, and my maternal grandfather competed in distance events for the University of Kansas.
Greatest Accomplishment
Continuing to pursue my dreams and hopefully inspire others to do the same despite facing numerous obstacles
Interesting Story
The Trials will be my first go-around at the marathon distance! After being unable to compete at USAs on the track this year due to an infection on my ankle, I was highly motivated to tackle a new challenge. In the coming years, I plan to continue competing on the track and roads. My coach, Amy Cragg, is a big inspiration because of her success in both arenas, proving that going to the marathon doesn't limit you athletically.
Favorite Book
The Old Man and the Sea
Favorite Movie
Moonrise Kingdom
Favorite TV Show/Series
Freaks and Geeks
Favorite Song
Unwritten
Favorite Post-race Indulgence
In-N-Out
Favorite Breakfast
Waffles
Favorite Motivational Quote
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." -Eleanor Roosevelt
Favorite Running Memory
My high school cross country team had a tradition of doing a long run on the Pacific Crest Trail during our pre-season camp. When we got up to a specific viewpoint looking down on Donner Lake thousands of feet below, we'd all yell out, "We are the luckiest kids in the world!" together. I was very fortunate to have a great high school coach (Bill Gregg) who really emphasized gratitude, teamwork and love for the sport.
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