Jenny Simpson: All Eyes on Women's 1500m Finalist

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On August 16th, the Olympic women's track and field 1500m final will be held in Rio.

Two American women will be competing: Jenny (Jennifer) Simpson and Shannon Rowbury. Although Jenny Simpson is lower in the standings, she's a strong competitor who has the will and drive to win the gold medal.

Jenny Simpson the Olympian

This is Jenny Simpson's third Olympic games. She had previously competed in both the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and the 2012 Olympics in London. She did not win a medal in either competition; however, in 2012, she was a semi-finalist in the 1500m event.

Outside of the Olympics, Simpson has won and/or placed in several championships.

Some of the most notable were: one track and field world championship, several league championships, and 10 national championships. Most of her wins were in the 1500m, although some were in longer events, like the 3000m or 5000m.

According to CU Buffs, Jenny Simpson was winning competitions even in high school.

During that period, she was a four-time All-Seminole Athletic Conference champion, an all-region and all-state runner, and a five-time 4A Florida state champion. She also won countless awards for her athleticism.

All About Jenny Simpson

Jenny (Jennifer) Simpson (whose maiden name is Barringer) was born in 1986 in Iowa. She always had the goal of being an Olympic athlete; however, when she was young, she wanted to join the equestrian team. During high school, in addition to being a world-class athlete, Simpson was involved in several volunteer efforts, including the Ronald McDonald House and Habitat for Humanity.

She also did volunteer work through her church, helping resettle victims of worldwide events.

After completing high school with a 4.2 GPA, Jenny Simpson enrolled in University of Colorado. There, she was a political science and economics major.

She was placed on the honor roll several times, maintaining a 3.6 GPA. During college, she was USTFCCCA All-Academic Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Year twice, and she was All-American once. Jenny is married to Jason Simpson.

Jenny Simpson vs. Genzebe Dibaba

USA Today reported today that after Jenny Simpson qualified for the 1500m finals, she made this comment about Genzebe Dibaba, the favorite to win:

I think that you know a tree by the fruit that it bears. And if a tree bears sour fruit, then the fruit around it are likely infected. And so I live my life that way in every way, not just through doping.

And so I think that if WADA is on the case, they'll find what they need to find. I hope so.

The quote refers to Dibaba's coach, who was recently arrested, allegedly with performance-enhancing drugs. To date, there is no evidence to suggest Dibaba was involved in any scandal.

Photo courtesy Jenny Simpson trackjenny.com