Elle St. Pierre, the reigning U.S. Olympic Trials 1500m champion and 2024 World Indoor 3000m gold medalist, will double with the 1500m and 5000m at next week’s U.S. Olympic Trials, her coach Mark Coogan told The New York Times’ Scott Cacciola. The move was expected as St. Pierre is the fastest American woman in both distances this year.

Here’s what you need to know:

– St. Pierre has made a remarkable comeback in her first year since giving birth to her son, Ivan. St. Pierre broke her indoor American record in the mile with a 4:16.41 at the Millrose Games in February. She upset 5000m world record holder Gudaf Tsegay with an 8:20.87 to break the American record and claim gold in the 3000m at the World Indoor Championships in March.

– This outdoor season, she has run personal bests of 3:56.00 for 1500m (No. 2 on the U.S. all-time list and No. 6 in the world this year) and 14:34.12 for 5000m (No. 5 on the U.S. all-time list and No. 9 in the world this year).

– Elise Cranny, the reigning U.S. champion in the 5000m, appears to also be planning a 1500m and 5000m double at the Trials. She has scratched from the 10,000m entries.

What does the schedule look like at the Trials?

The schedule to double in the 1500m and 5000m is possible:

Friday, June 21st – 6:22 p.m., 5000m first round

Monday, June 24th – 7:09 p.m., 5000m final

Thursday, June 27th – 5:23 p.m., 1500m first round

Friday, June 28th – 5:28 p.m., 1500m semifinal

Sunday, June 30th – 5:09 p.m., 1500m final

What does the schedule look like at the Olympics?

Assuming St. Pierre finishes in the top three at the Trials in both events, she could double in the 1500m and 5000m.

Friday, Aug. 2 – 6:10 p.m., 5000m Round 1

Monday, Aug. 5 – 9:10 p.m., 5000m Final

Tuesday, Aug. 6 – 10:05 a.m., 1500m Round 1

Wednesday, Aug. 7 – 12:45 p.m., 1500m Repechage Round*

Thursday, Aug. 8 – 7:35 p.m., 1500m Semifinal

Saturday, Aug. 10 – 8:25 p.m., 1500m final

*If needed

Takeaways

The women’s 5000m is fairly wide open at the U.S. Olympic Trials as only eight women have run under the Olympic standard of 14:52.00. American record holder Alicia Monson is out of the Trials after undergoing knee surgery.

Only four of those seven women (St. Pierre, Weini Kelati, Elise Cranny and Karissa Schweizer) have run the standard during the current outdoor season. Kelati does not appear on the USATF list of declarations for the 5000m and will opt for just the 10,000m – where she is the only American woman competing who has run under Olympic standard.

Josette Norris secured the Olympic standard during the indoor season and is declared for the race but has not raced this outdoor season. She scratched from the Penn Relays in April but has been working her back to form with the On Athletics Club. Elly Henes has the Olympic standard from a 14:47.15 personal best at last summer’s London Diamond League but only has a season’s best of 15:12.69. She underwent lung surgery last October. Courtney Wayment has run under the Olympic standard but is only focused on the 3000m steeplechase.

This could leave the likes of St. Pierre, Cranny and Schweizer (someone who made each U.S. team in the 5000m from 2019 to 2022) in a good position.

There are a few women in the World Rankings quota who could try to crack those three. NCAA 5000m and 10,000m champion Parker Valby just barely missed the Olympic standard with a 14:52.18 personal best. A day later, Cranny and Schweizer showcased their fitness at the Portland Track Festival, which means it could take a personal best and beating two of the United States’ most consistent 5000m runners to make the team. Valby also has a path to make the team in the 10,000m.