Chicago Marathon 2023: USA's Conner Mantz and Emily Sisson hope to use marathon results as springboard to the Olympic Trials
Mantz and Sisser were the top USA finishers on a day of records in Chicago. Mantz and his training partner Clayton Young made the Olympic standard on the fast course.
Athletics
In a race where the men’s world record and four course records were broken, two USA men took advantage of fast conditions to make the Olympic standard at the Chicago Marathon on Sunday (8 October), while Emily Sisser impressed in what was her career's third marathon.
Conner Mantz ran a personal record of 2:07:47, taking sixth place. Clayton Young finished just behind him at 2:08:00. Galen Rupp was third among the USA runners, but his 2:08:48 fell short of the Olympic standard.
Mantz and Young started training together while still in college at Brigham Young. They’re still training partners, and said that pushing each other on their race day echoed practices.
“We've been training together since 2017, together through college and now as professionals and couldn't ask for a better training partner," Young said. "To kind of close on him the last little bit and to be able to finish right behind him, like I usually do in practice, it was a really big step for me."
Getting the standard for Mantz was an important step in his journey towards the Olympics in Paris. Before the race, he detailed how Chicago fit into his bigger plan.
“The Olympic Games are the real focus every four years," he said. "I am focused on this marathon 100 per cent right now. But when I plan everything out, it was like, Chicago is the prepping for the Olympic trials, which just helped me make the Olympic team. And then everything comes at the Olympic Games.
"Every race has helped me prepare for the trials, and then the Olympic Games."
Emily Sisson: Marathon rookie keeps on learning
On the women's side, Emily Sisson, the USA world record holder, said Sunday's race was as much about learning how to run a marathon as it was about winning.
Chicago 2023 was only her third marathon. She previously spent years running long-distance events in athletics.
Sisson finished the course in 2:22:09, after getting a stitch in her side in the final few kilometres.
“It's good practice racing in a group. I had Emma Bates around the half marathon, so it's nice having a fellow American woman to compete against, and there were a lot of men around us," Sisson said after the race. "I did try to tuck in, especially during the windy part. I probably just take away trying to figure out what caused a slight stitch so that it doesn't happen again."
Since she is still learning marathon tactics, every race Sisson runs gives her a bit more confidence.
“I remember my first marathon. That was what was a little daunting to me. When I got to mile, I think, 23 in the marathon I was like, 'This is the furthest I've ever run',” she said. “So the more marathons I do, the more confidence I gain, so I think after Chicago, you feel a little bit more confident going to the next one.”
The next one for all three runners are the Olympic Trials, which will be held on 3 February in Orlando, Florida.