Olga APPELL

Olga Avalos ran the marathon for Mexico at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. However, she lived in Durango, Colorado, working as a teller in a bank, where she met Brian Appell, a former college steeplechaser and running coach. A year later they married, and as Olga Avalos-Appell, she ran the 10K for the United States at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Avalos-Appell competed at the World Championships for Mexico, running the 10K in 1991 and 1993, and also won the 1991 Pan American Games marathon. She was Mexican Champion in 1,500 in 1990 and 10K in 1991. She switched allegiance after her marriage, and won US titles at 10K and cross-country in 1994.

Avalos-Appell later turned to marathons and won several races. In addition to the 1991 Pan Am gold medal, she won city marathons at Long Beach (California), Sapporo, and Monterrey (Mexico) in 1992; at Los Angeles and Sapporo in 1994; and at the Twin Cities Marathon in 1996.

Personal Bests: 10000 – 32:03.42 (1994); Mar – 2-28:12 (1994).