Across Franklin County, there are signs urging local Olympic runner Elle Purrier St. Pierre to “go for the gold.” Now, she actually has a chance to do that.
The Montgomery native and former dairy farmer punched her ticket to the finals of the women’s 1,500-meter race in Tokyo early Wednesday morning. Purrier St. Pierre finished sixth in the first of two semifinals, running a time of 4:01.00.
While only the top five runners from each of the semifinals advanced automatically, she ran fast enough to qualify for one of two slots in the final based on time.
Purrier St. Pierre’s race finished several seconds faster than the second heat. Even though she placed sixth, she ran the eighth fastest time overall out of 26 athletes.
“I know I gave it my all on the track,” Purrier St. Pierre told NBC Sports in an interview after the race. “I wasn’t disappointed. Even though I didn’t make it in the top five, I was really hopeful because I knew that it was a fast heat.”
The final of the women’s 1,500 is scheduled for Friday at 8:50 a.m. EST.
Purrier St. Pierre will compete against a dozen other women, including her American teammate Cory Ann McGee of Fairfax, Virginia.
The Vermonter has run the 1,500 meters in as fast as 3:58.03, an American record she set in June at the United States Olympic Trials. She has not yet run under 4 minutes at the Tokyo games.
Watch parties have brought out big support for Purrier St. Pierre in Franklin County this week. Close to 200 people gathered at Richford Junior Senior High School, where Purrier St. Pierre graduated in 2013, to watch her opening race Sunday night.
