Olympian Jenny Simpson hospitalized after collapsing at Raleigh track event

Jenny Simpson, a three-time U.S. Olympian and bronze medalist who became one of the most accomplished American middle-distance runners of her era, was hospitalized after collapsing Tuesday during a track event in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The medical emergency happened at Pop Up Miles, an event organized by Sir Walter Running. The group said Simpson was involved in a “medical incident” while pacing a mile group. She received CPR and treatment from an automated external defibrillator before being taken to a hospital, NBC News reported.

Runner’s World and LetsRun reported that Simpson did not have a pulse for a period of time and that it was restored with CPR and an AED, according to The Guardian.

Sir Walter Running thanked the people who responded at the track, as well as emergency and medical personnel.

“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 organization said in a statement Wednesday. “Jenny is receiving excellent medical care, and our thoughts are with her and her family during this time.”

The group also thanked those who had expressed concern after the incident.

“We are also thankful to everyone who has reached out with concern and support,” Sir Walter Running said. “We ask that you continue to keep Jenny and her family in your prayers as we all hope for the very best.”

Simpson, 39, represented the United States at three Olympic Games: Beijing in 2008, London in 2012 and Rio de Janeiro in 2016. She won bronze in the 1,500 meters at the Rio Games, capping her Olympic career with a third-place finish. The Guardian reported that, at the time, she was the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in the event.

Her Olympic career also included a 17th-place finish in the 1,500 meters in London and an eighth-place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in Beijing.

Simpson also built a decorated world championship record in the 1,500 meters. She won the world title in 2011, then added silver medals in 2013 and 2017. The Guardian reported that she won 11 U.S. titles before retiring from competitive running in 2024.

No further details about her condition were included in the statements from Sir Walter Running or in the reports. The organization said Simpson remained under medical care and asked the public to keep her and her family in mind as she receives treatment.