Jenny Barringer Simpson of Monument has captured the 1,500-meter world championship in Daegu, Korea. It is the first world title for a U.S. woman in the 1,500 since Mary Decker Slaney won it in 1983.
Simpson, who passed her rivals on the finishing stretch, clocked 4:05:40.
The following quotes from Simpson are from USA Track and Field:
“It is something that you dream about. It’s not like you just go and win a race. Everything has to come together at the right time. You have to make it through the first round and a prelim. This is the U.S. team - you have to make the U.S. team. Just making this U.S. 1500m team is difficult. I think I ran the same time tonight that I ran in the U.S. championships to get here. Just getting here was such a thrill and I think I was really calm coming into tonight because what more can I ask for - I’m in the final and I’m healthy.

“The last few meters was all about where my head was going into (the 1500m final). Standing on the line, I was thinking about what this could mean for my life and what this could mean for my family. My little sister [Emily] is serving in the army, so I thought, ‘man, if I win gold I get to play that national anthem for her.’ So coming down the last 100 meters I was thinking about my little sister and thinking, ‘let’s get that song playing.’

“Shannon (Rowbury) medaled at the last world championships and Morgan (Uceny) has been on fire all year, so I think this has been such an incredible American buildup to something that I was able to do tonight. I don’t want to lose sight of the way they pioneered back up to the world stage in the 1,500m with me.”
The following quotes are from the Associated Press:
“I am supposed to say that I am not surprised,” said Simpson. “All I can say is that a dream has come true.”
“I’m coming down home stretch and thinking, how did I get here?” said Simpson.
“I knew coming off the curb I had another couple of gears, and I just thought I’m going to be really hard to beat now.”
Simpson is a volunteer coach at the Air Force Academy. She had the second-best qualifying time heading into the final.
She entered the meet with the 25th best time in the world.