By Chris Chavez
December 21, 2024
Elle St. Pierre, a two-time U.S. Olympian and reigning U.S. 5000m champion, announced on Instagram this week that she is expecting her second child, a boy, due May 8, 2025.
Here’s what you need to know:
– St. Pierre, 29, previously gave birth to her first child, Ivan, in March 2023.
– St. Pierre returned to racing six months later by competing in the 2023 Fifth Avenue Mile. She ran 4:23.3 and finished seventh overall.
– 2024 was a banner year for St. Pierre, who ran an American record of 8:20.87 to win gold in the 3000m at the World Indoor Championships in March. During the outdoor season, she ran personal bests in the 1500m (3:55.99), mile (4:16.41), and 5,000m (14:34.12).
– At the U.S. Olympic Trials, she narrowly beat out Elise Cranny to win the 5000m title. She took third in the 1500m final behind Nikki Hiltz and Emily MacKay. St. Pierre and her coach Mark Coogan decided to contest only the 1500m at the Paris Olympics. She finished eighth in the Olympic final.
– St. Pierre isn’t going anywhere for long. On her Instagram stories, St. Pierre clarified: “As if I needed to say it: this is NOT a retirement announcement it’s a baby announcement 👏 Women can have kids AND a career. just watch 👏”
Kevin Morris / @KevMoFoto
State of the U.S. 1500m and 5000m without St. Pierre
– Aside from her 2023 season postpartum, St. Pierre has made each U.S. team in either the 1500m or 5000m since 2019. Her 3:55.99 1500m from the 2024 Trials puts her at No. 4 on the U.S. all-time list. The depth of the event is at an all-time high, as eight athletes broke 4 minutes and Sinclaire Johnson’s 3:56.75 failed to make the Olympic team. St. Pierre may miss the 2025 championship season, as the U.S. Championships are scheduled for Jul. 31-Aug. 3, but two of her teammates, Olympians MacKay and Heather MacLean, are likely top contenders for the three spots for the World Championships in Tokyo alongside Hiltz, Johnson, Cranny, and Cory McGee.
– As for the 5000m, St. Pierre was the fastest American of the year. As of Dec. 20, Cranny and Karissa Schweizer are the only two American women who have the 2025 World Championship qualifying standard of 14:50.00. Weini Kelati (14:35.43), Josette Andrews (14:46.51 indoors), Courtney Wayment (14:49.78 indoors), Parker Valby (14:51.44), Whittni Morgan (14:53.57) and Ella Donaghu (14:58.39) were the only other women to break 15:00 this year (but outside the qualifying window).
2025 is also ripe for strong comebacks from Alicia Monson (missed the U.S. Olympic Trials with an injury) and Katelyn Tuohy (opened up at the U.S. Olympic Trials after being injured in the spring but finished the year with a 15:07 season’s best.).
It is also too early to tell how American record holder Shelby Houlihan will factor in when she returns from a four-year suspension on Jan. 13 and whether she’ll choose to focus on the 1500m, 5000m, or move up to the 10,000m.
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Chris Chavez
Chris Chavez launched CITIUS MAG in 2016 as a passion project while working full-time for Sports Illustrated. He covered the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and grew his humble blog into a multi-pronged media company. He completed all six World Marathon Majors and is an aspiring sub-five-minute miler.
