Iowa Native Qualifies For Tokyo Olympics
An Iowa-native and track star is heading to Tokyo to represent the United States during the summer Olympics next month. Karissa Schweizer of Urbandale, IA placed second in the 5,000-meter race Monday evening which guarantees her a spot on team U.S.A for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games.
In the blistering heat in Oregon on Monday, Iowa-native Karissa Schweizer took to the starting line for the final race in the Women's 5,000-meter run.
At the start of the race on Monday evening, it was 94°. The heat wasn't an issue for Schweizer or her training partner Elise Cranny. Around the 14:19 mark and entering the last lap, Schweizer took the lead and would remain there until right at the end of the race.
In the last moments, her training partner, Elise Cranny, pulled ahead and took first place in the Olympic Trials. Cranny finished with a time of 15:27.81. Schweizer finished second with a time of 15:28:11, and Rachel Schneider ran a 15:29.56 to finish in third place.
All three will represent Team U.S.A. for the first time in their careers.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics will have the opening ceremony on Friday, July 23. Closing ceremony will be on Sunday, August 8.
Karissa Schweizer, 25 and an Urbandale, IA native, was a track and field star during her time at Dowling Catholic High School. She was recruited by the University of Missouri following high school.
At Mizzou, Schweizer has been labeled the most decorated athlete in University of Missouri history. She won the 2016 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships and has five other NCAA individual championship titles in track and field.
Schweizer is the current American collegiate record-holder for the indoor 3000-meter run. She holds the record with a time of 8:41.60.