Among her many U.S. distance records, Deena Kastor set the American marathon record of 2:19:36 in 2006, a time that would’ve won the gold medal at any Olympic Games since marathon became a women’s sport in 1984. Unfortunately for Kastor, an early-race injury in Beijing prevented her from trying to win her second consecutive Olympic marathon medal.
Trifecta:
Kastor competed in her third Olympics in 2008. She suffered an Achilles tendon injury prior to the 2000 Games and didn’t qualify for the 10,000-meter final in Sydney. She earned a bronze medal in the marathon at the Athens Games.
Comeback kid:
Kastor trailed eventual runner-up Magdalena Lewy Boulet by almost two minutes midway through the 2008 U.S. Marathon Trials in Boston before Kastor rallied to win in 2:29:35.
Career highlights:
Kastor earned the Jesse Owens Award in 2003. She placed second in the 2002 and ’03 World Cross Country Championships. Kastor has dominated distance events in the U.S., winning five 10,000-meter national championships, five 15-kilometer championships, seven eight-kilometer cross country titles and the 2001 U.S. marathon championship, in addition to winning the 2008 Olympic Marathon Trials and the 10,000-meters at the 2000 and ‘04 Trials.
The stats:
- Height: 5-4
- Weight: 104
- Birth date: February 14, 1973
- Hometown: Agoura, California
- World Championships: None
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