Three-time Olympian Jenny Simpson collapsed during the Sir Walter Pop Up Miles event in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Tuesday. Initially deemed a “medical incident”, Simpson had lost her pulse while serving as the pace runner for a mile group. Responders resuscitated her using CPR and defibrillators before rushing her to the hospital, where she is receiving treatment. Amid fears and prayers, a positive update has emerged regarding the retired athlete’s condition.

“While Jenny remains under medical care, she has shown encouraging improvement and continues to exhibit the strength and resilience that have long defined her. True to form, she has already asked about her mile time and whether she won,” as per statement via FleetFeet, reported by FloTrack on X. “The outpouring of support from across the running community has been extraordinary. We appreciate the compassion, encouragement, and concern shown for Jenny and her family, and we are grateful to be part of a community that continues to rally around them.”

This adds to the immediate reaction shared by event organizer Sir Walter Running, after the retired Olympian collapsed.

“We are incredibly grateful to the individuals who responded immediately, as well as EMS and the medical professionals who handled the situation with such care, urgency, and professionalism. Jenny is receiving excellent medical care, and our thoughts are with her and her family during this time,” he said in a statement.

Simpson, 39, made her name in the 1500m track event. Not regarded as a staple event for American athletes, as they have historically excelled at shorter sprints, this is where the retired distance runner garnered fame. In fact, she went a step ahead and established herself as the gold standard in the 1500m, breaking records at the NCAA levels in the early stages of her career.

Simpson first grabbed headlines in the steeplechase event at the 2008 Olympics, qualifying for the final. She continued with the discipline, finishing an impressive fifth at the 2009 World Athletics Championships. In the same year, she ran the 1500 m race under 4 minutes at the Prefontaine Classic — setting a collegiate record and, at the time, becoming only the third American woman to break the four-minute barrier in the discipline.

This marked a momentous achievement, as despite numerous advancements in sports, Simpson remains the only woman to go sub-four minutes in the 1500 meters during an NCAA season.

This saw her gradually participating in 1500m events, culminating in a highly unexpected gold medal at the 2011 World Championships. However, that was not the only World Championship medal in her resume, as she won silver in 2013 and 2017.

Her crowning moment came at the 2016 Olympics, where she won the bronze medal behind the greats Faith Kipyegon and Genzebe Dibaba, becoming the first-ever American woman to finish on the podium at the event. Between these international competitions, she won 11 domestic events, constantly improving her own times.

Rio, however, marked her last Olympic appearance, as she was left out of the Tokyo 2020 squad. Simpson gradually transitioned to retirement by 2024, but remained connected to running. In fact, she built even more connections through her love for the sport.

Simpson and her husband spent most of 2025 on a tour across all 50 states, traveling in their Winnebago and running alongside locals. The former athlete’s tryst with sport persisted, as she was named Chief Running Officer at FleetFeet earlier this year.

Simpson’s unfortunate collapse — despite no prior incidents — shed light on similar cases featuring track athletes.

Jenny Simpson is not the only one to undergo such an incident

Distance runners often exert a lot of stress on their bodies over long periods of training, which can make them susceptible to cardiac episodes. For such athletes, building endurance is crucial, but it’s also a prime factor for myocardial fibrosis, which involves scarring of the heart muscles. Over time, the condition can lead to cardiac shocks.

Back in 2019, Jamaican distance runner Kemoy Campbell was rushed to the hospital after he suddenly collapsed and stopped breathing during the men’s 3000m at the Millrose Games in New York. The 28-year-old was serving as the pace setter during the sixth lap, before stepping off the track and losing consciousness — his heart had stopped.

The 2016 Olympian had to be treated by paramedics, who performed CPR and used a defibrillator to resuscitate him. Hailed as Jamaica’s first world-class distance runner, Kemoy had a pulse and was breathing but remained unconscious. Seven months later, the Jamaican athlete called time on his career. Although retired, the former runner works as a coach under limited physical activity.

With Simpson herself currently recovering — and more updates yet to arrive — the incident underscores how much stress competition can inflict on top-class athletes even after retirement.