Olympic 1500m medalist Jenny Simpson announced she will not return to running after experiencing a cardiac arrest and subsequent diagnosis of a rare heart condition. The 39-year-old American, a former 1500m world champion, stated that a significant chapter of her life has concluded.
Simpson collapsed in June while pacing a mile group at an event in North Carolina. She required CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillator before being transported to UNC Rex Hospital in Raleigh, where she suffered another cardiac arrest. "My heart was severely injured and stunned. My lungs struggled too," Simpson shared in an Instagram post.
She was diagnosed with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), a genetic condition where proteins responsible for holding heart muscle cells together malfunction. This can lead to the death of heart muscle cells, which are then replaced by fatty and scar tissue. The condition can cause the heart chamber walls to thin and stretch, impairing the heart's ability to pump blood effectively.
"My future is an incredible gift. It's hopeful, and it will continue to have great purpose," Simpson said, "But my diagnosis also means it would be dangerous for me to return to running. That chapter has ended. Thankfully, my story hasn't."
Simpson's decorated career includes winning the 1500m gold at the 2011 World Championships and a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. She had officially retired from competitive racing at the end of the 2024 season. She also earned silver medals in the 1500m at the 2013 and 2017 World Championships. "I'm profoundly grateful that I got to have the career I did," Simpson stated. "I experienced everything - from the trenches of training to standing on the top of the podium while our national anthem filled the stadium."