Jenny Simpson was rushed to hospital in Raleigh, North Carolina, after collapsing during a Pop Up Miles event on Tuesday. The 39-year-old long-distance runner reportedly had no pulse and required CPR to restart her heart, before regaining a pulse on the way to
Raleigh, North Carolina has been left shaken after Olympic medalist Jenny Simpson collapsed during a Pop Up Miles event on Tuesday.
The 39-year-old long-distance runner, pacing a mile group at the community track event, suddenly went down in terrifying scenes. It was reported that she did not have a pulse and needed CPR to restart her heart.
Simpson eventually regained a pulse before arriving at hospital, where she is now recovering.
Organiser Sir Walter Running issued a statement thanking the people who responded immediately. as well as EMS and the medical professionals who handled the situation with “care. urgency. and professionalism.” In the same message. the organiser said Simpson is receiving “excellent medical care. ” and urged the public to keep her and her family in their prayers while they “hope for the very best.” The statement also thanked everyone who had reached out with concern and support.
For Simpson’s supporters, the shock is heightened by how close the incident came to fans. Runners taking part also had the chance to meet Simpson, turning Tuesday’s community event into one that now carries a very different kind of attention.
Simpson is an American track figure with an Olympic legacy dating back to 2008. when she represented Team USA at the Beijing Olympics. and again at the 2012 London Olympics. At Rio 2016, she won bronze in the women’s 1500m—becoming the first American woman to medal in the event. She later claimed 1500m gold at the 2011 world championships and added silver medals in 2013 and 2017.
After a distinguished career, Simpson retired from competitive running at the end of the 2024 season following the New York Marathon.
The timeline of Tuesday’s incident has made one thing clear: the response from those on site. and the medical care that followed. helped determine what happened next. Simpson is now in recovery. and the focus has shifted to her condition as well-wishers continue to send support from across the sport.
Jenny Simpson Raleigh Pop Up Miles CPR Olympic bronze 1500m Rio 2016 Team USA long-distance running EMS