Vermont dairy farmer turned world-renowned track star Elle Purrier St. Pierre has punched her ticket compete in the upcoming Olympic Games and set a new record in the process.
Purrier took first place in the final 1,500 meter run during the U.S. Track and Field Olympic trials Monday night, running a time a 3:58.03. The mark broke a 32-year-old Olympic trials record for the event, previously a 3:58.92 time recorded by Mary Slaney.
It will be Purrier’s first time competing in the Olympic Games. Two other runners from the final 1,500 meter event will also travel to Tokyo this summer.
Over the past 16 months, Purrier has set two separate records on the track. The Montgomery, Vermont, native shattered a 37-year-old record for the fastest U.S. women’s indoor mile in February 2020 (4 minutes, 16.85 seconds) and followed it by breaking the two-mile record (9 minutes, 10.28 seconds) earlier this year.
She also set the season’s best 1,500 meter time during the U.S. Track and Field Golden Games in May, finishing with a sub-four-minute time.
Purrier is the second Vermont native to earn a trip to Tokyo this year — Burlington native Ilona Maher was named to the Team USA rugby sevens team last week.
Source: Mynbc5