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Gwen Jorgensen will run the Chicago Marathon in October

2016 Olympic Gold Medalist has been added to the competitive field at the Chicago Marathon

Gwen Jorgensen at the Rio 2016 Olympics. Photo Credit: Nils Nilsen

After months of speculating, Gwen Jorgensen on August 27th announced on her social media platforms that she will be racing the Chicago Marathon on October 7th.  Just two years ago, Jorgensen was considered by some as one of the best triathletes in the world heading into the Rio 2016 Olympics. At the Games, she went on to win the gold medal in stunning fashion.

In 2017, Jorgensen took the year off to care for a newborn baby boy – Stanley. Following Stanley’s birth, Jorgensen returned to elite competition, but not in the sport of triathlon. She is now chasing a dream of competing for gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in the marathon.

The 2018 season has been full of new beginnings for Jorgensen. She began her year with a few track meets before making her half-marathon debut in Pittsburgh at the USA Half Marathon Championships. At the race, she finished fourth in 1:10:03. Having done a number of 10-kilometre road races and a half marathon, Jorgensen is looking to make the jump to the full in the windy city. The Chicago Marathon won’t be the first 42.2K race of her career. Following her win at Rio, she raced the New York Marathon and came 14th in 2:41:01.

Jorgensen will join an elite field of women in Chicago. Among the names are America’s Amy Cragg and Jordan Hasay. Cragg is the 2015 American marathon champion, and Hasay has a 2:20:57, which is the second-fastest marathon by an American woman.