World champion runner Jenny Simpson disclosed that a rare heart condition led to her cardiac arrest during a race in June, announcing that she will not be returning to competitive running. In an Instagram post, the 39-year-old revealed that she was diagnosed with Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC), a condition that resulted in dangerous heart rhythms, leading to her heart stopping. Simpson emphasized that the diagnosis deems it unsafe for her to resume running, marking the end of that chapter in her life. Despite this, she expressed gratitude for being alive and optimistic about the future.
During an event in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she was pacing a group of girls in a mile run, Simpson collapsed, prompting immediate CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillator before being transported to the hospital by medics. In her post, Simpson requested well-wishers to refrain from expressing sympathy but rather to express joy in her survival, as she herself is grateful for being alive.
Simpson’s running career spanned a successful decade starting in 2007, during which she was America’s leading women’s 1,500-meter runner. She achieved notable victories, including winning the world championship in 2011, securing second place twice, and clinching an Olympic bronze medal in Rio in 2016.