By Chris Chavez
January 7, 2024
Emma Bates, the 2:22:10 marathoner who finished 7th at the 2022 World Championships, has withdrawn from the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials due to injury.
Here’s what you need to know:
– Last fall, Bates was considered one of the top contenders to make the 2024 U.S. Olympic team in the marathon after a runner-up finish at the 2021 Chicago Marathon, a seventh place finish at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, an eighth place finish at the 2022 New York City Marathon and then taking top American honors (5th place overall) at the 2023 Boston Marathon in a personal best of 2:22:10. That time made her the third-fastest American marathoner of 2023.
She was vocal about her belief that she could run in the 2:18 range given how well her training was going under coach Joe Bosshard. At the 2023 Chicago Marathon, many eyes were on her and Emily Sisson potentially dueling for the American record. She managed to hang with Sisson through the half marathon mark in 1:09:31 but then hurt her plantar fascia on a water stop. She managed to run through the pain despite stopping a few times to stretch and finished in 2:25:04 for 13th place overall.
She took time to heal from the torn plantar but then started dealing with posterior tibial tendinitis (shin splits) in December.
On Saturday afternoon, she posted a tearful video to her Instagram to announce she was withdrawing from the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials on February 3 in Orlando.
“I have some good news and some bad news,” she said. “I’m back to doing workouts with Team Boss. The bad news is I’m withdrawing from the Trials. There’s just not enough time to be where I need to be. Another four years to wait for another Olympic team. I’ll be okay.”
Kevin Morris / @KevMoFoto
What comes next:
The 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials will be on Feb. 3 in Orlando. The top three finishers will go on to represent the United States at the Olympics in Paris.
Sisson, Betsy Saina (America’s fastest women’s marathoner of 2023 with a 2:21:40 PB), former American record holder Keira D’Amato and Olympic bronze medalist Molly Seidel are expected to be among the top contenders.
Stay tuned for more updates. CITIUS MAG will have full coverage on-site from Orlando. We will have a pop-up at the CITIUS Cafe presented by HOKA (151 E Washington St Suite 101, Orlando, FL 32801) with live panels, free product giveaways, a shakeout run and a race-day watchalong starting Thursday, Feb. 1.
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.
