Olympic runner Jenny Simpson collapses at Raleigh track event
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- Jenny Simpson collapsed from a medical episode on Tuesday night while pacing a mile group at a Sir Walter Running community track event in Raleigh, North Carolina
- First responders administered CPR and used an automated external defibrillator on Simpson at the track before transporting her to a hospital
- LetsRun was the first outlet to report the medical emergency
- Sir Walter Running issued a statement on Instagram on Wednesday thanking bystanders, EMS, and medical professionals for responding 'immediately' and handling the situation 'with such care, urgency, and professionalism,' adding that 'Jenny is receiving excellent medical care'
- Simpson, 39, won the 1,500-meter bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and gold in the 1,500 at the 2011 World Championships, with silver medals in 2013 and 2017
- The Sir Walter Running event was open to runners of all levels and included an opportunity to meet Simpson
Why it matters: The episode underscores that sudden medical emergencies can strike even decorated Olympic athletes at grassroots community events, and Sir Walter Running specifically credited the immediate on-site response of bystanders and EMS with getting Simpson timely hospital care.
