by Jeff BenjaminI remember watching Jenny Simpson in the semi-final in Daegu. On the last lap, just around the last turn, Jenny Simpson unleashed an increase in pace that made me smile. In my notebook that day, I noted that Simpson could win this thing. She accelerated with little effort, moved to her position and made the final. I remember speaking with a couple of friends and saying that Jenny Simpson could take the race.
Move ahead five years to Rio. In the 1,500 meter rounds, Jenny Simpson wasted little effort. Her experience, her race memory, her muscle memory were all there. In the final, Jenny Simpson moved through a crowded final straight with calm and precision, taking down Laura Muir and Sifan Hissan.
In Boston last month, off microphone, Jenny Simpson and I were chatting. She mentioned that it would be so nice to do well in London 2017, which reminded me of her rough time in the semi final of the London 2012 1,500 meters, perhaps the dirtiest race in Olympic women’s history.
Simpson focuses on the races ahead, and she has miles to go, before she stops. Here is a fine interview regarding the DMR World record she anchored on January 28, 2017. Listen to it, savor it, and understand that this is how a class athete responds to interview questions.
Special thanks to Jenny Simpson, for her candor and poise. Special thanks to The Shoe Addicts for juggling the crazyness of the post WR media area. A fun night in Beantown.
