SISSON OUT OF TCS NEW YORK CITY MARATHON
By David Monti, @d9monti
(c) 2021 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved - Used with permission.

(06-Oct) -- Reigning USA 10,000m champion Emily Sisson has withdrawn from the TCS New York City Marathon.  According to a post on her Instagram account, the New Balance-sponsored athlete has been unable to train due to a knee injury.  It would have been her first time running the New York City event.

"A few weeks before Tokyo (Olympics), my knee started to hurt pretty badly," Sisson wrote.  She continued: "I took a week off after Tokyo hoping to heal. Not for a lack of trying, I haven't really been able to train for 2.5 months now. So after a great year of training and racing, I'm prioritizing health and giving my body the rest it needs! New York Road Runners I will be back racing soon."

Sisson, 29, has completed just one marathon.  At the Virgin Money London Marathon in 2019 she ran an excellent debut of 2:23:08, finishing sixth, despite falling during her warm-up and striking her knee on the pavement.  She was unable to finish at the 2020 USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Atlanta, but rebounded for the track Trials last June where she dominated the 10,000m race, setting a championships record of 31:03.82 despite 85F/33C temperatures.  She finished 10th in the Tokyo Olympics in a similar time: 31:09.58.  It was her first time competing at an Olympic Games.

Despite the withdrawal of Sisson and USA Olympic Marathon Trials champion Aliphine Tuliamuk, the domestic women's field for the TCS New York City Marathon remains strong.  At the top of the list are Des Linden, Charlevoix, Mich., 2:22:28 personal best; Kellyn Taylor, Flagstaff, Ariz., 2:24:29; Sally Kipyego, Eugene, Ore., 2:25:10; Molly Seidel, Flagstaff, Ariz., 2:25:13; Laura Thweatt, Superior, Colo., 2:25:38; Stephanie Bruce, Flagstaff, Ariz., 2:27:47; and Roberta Groner (40+), Ledgewood, N.J., 2:29:09. Seidel won the Olympic Marathon bronze medal in Sapporo in August.

The TCS New York City Marathon will be held for the 50th time on Sunday, November 7.


PHOTO: Emily Sisson en route to winning the USA Olympic Team Trials 10,000m in Eugene, Oregon, last June (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)