Molly Seidel, the American bronze medalist from the Tokyo Olympics this summer, will make her Big Apple debut this year as she headlines a strong field of American women to race at the 2021 New York City Marathon on November 7.
“Since the beginning of 2021, I’ve had two races circled on my calendar: The Olympic Games Marathon on August 7, and the TCS New York City Marathon on November 7,” Seidel said. “Winning the bronze medal in Sapporo showed that I can run with the best in the world, and on any given day, anything is possible. I can’t think of a better year to run my first New York than in its 50th running.”
Her showing at the Olympics was just the third marathon ever that Seidel ever ran, posting a time of 2:27:46 while becoming only the third American woman in history (Joan Benoit, 1984; Deena Kastor, 2004) to medal in the Olympic marathon.
Racing alongside Seidel are other strong American runners in Aliphine Tuliamuk — a silver medalist at the 2012 Olympics — 2020 US Olympic Trials 10,000-meter champion Emily Sisson, and 2018 Boston Marathon winner Des Linden.
Tuliamuk won the 2020 US Olympic Marathon Trials in Atlanta, finishing in 2:27:23. She punched her Olympic ticket just four years after gaining citizenship. After giving birth to her daughter in January 2021, Tuliamuk worked her way back to Marathon shape but dropped out at the 20km mark in Tokyo.
“Winning the U.S. Olympic Trials and representing the United States in the Olympic Games earlier this month were dreams fulfilled,” Tuliamuk said. “I want to inspire people, most importantly my daughter, to chase their dreams. I’m a different athlete and person than I was the last time I ran the TCS New York City Marathon in 2019, so why not fulfill one more dream on November 7?”
Also featured in the professional athlete field of the American Women’s Open Division are six runners from New York City: Grace Bowen, Ana Johnson, Ivette Mejia, Joanna Thompson, Jessica Chichester (Brooklyn), and Leigh Anne Sharek (Brooklyn).
Long Island has some representation in Manhasset’s Aileen Barry while nearby White Plains will be rooting on Lindsey Scherf.
