Olympic medalist Jenny Simpson announced she will not return to running after suffering a cardiac arrest in June while pacing a mile group in Raleigh, North Carolina. The 39-year-old American track star was diagnosed with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, a rare inherited heart condition.
Jenny Simpson’s competitive running career came to an abrupt halt following a medical emergency that required emergency intervention at the track. The AP reported that Simpson was pacing a mile group at a pop-up event in North Carolina in June when she collapsed.
She required cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of an automated external defibrillator at the scene before being transported to UNC Rex Hospital in Raleigh, where she suffered a subsequent cardiac arrest.
ARVC Diagnosis and Medical Findings
Hospital testing revealed the underlying cause of the collapse. Simpson shared her diagnosis in an Instagram post, explaining that she was found to have arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, commonly known as ARVC, according to the AP.
“My heart was severely injured and stunned. My lungs struggled too,” Simpson said in an Instagram post on Thursday.
“I was diagnosed with a rare inherited heart condition called arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC).”}
Jenny Simpson, via AP
ARVC is a genetic disorder affecting proteins that bind heart muscle cells together. The condition causes cells to die and undergo replacement by fatty and scar tissue, thinning the walls of the heart chambers and preventing proper blood circulation, as the AP detailed.
An Illustrious Career on the Global Stage
For roughly a decade starting in 2007, Simpson anchored American women’s middle-distance running. Her career highlights include a gold medal in the 1,500 meters at the 2011 World Championships. She added a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, alongside world championship silver medals in 2013 and 2017. She officially retired from competitive racing at the conclusion of the 2024 season.
“I’m profoundly grateful that I got to have the career I did,” added Simpson, who also won silver medals in the 1500m at the 2013 and 2017 World Championships.
“I experienced everything – from the trenches of training to standing on the top of the podium while our national anthem filled the stadium.”
Jenny Simpson, via AP
Reflections and Future Outlook
While the medical diagnosis rules out any return to competitive or recreational running, Simpson emphasized her gratitude for surviving the cardiac event. She specifically requested that well-wishers avoid expressions of pity, asking supporters instead to share in her relief that she survived the ordeal, as noted by the AP.
“You might be wondering what would be the right thing to say to me after an event like this,” she wrote. “Please do not say that you’re sorry or that you feel bad for me. If it is true in your heart, please tell me you’re glad that I’m here. That’s how I feel — so glad that I’m still here.”
Jenny Simpson, via AP
“My future is an incredible gift. It’s hopeful, and it will continue to have great purpose.”
“But my diagnosis also means it would be dangerous for me to return to running. That chapter has ended. Thankfully, my story hasn’t.”
Jenny Simpson, via AP
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