World champion athlete Jenny Simpson disclosed that she experienced cardiac arrest during a race in June due to a rare heart condition and announced her retirement from running. Simpson, aged 39, shared on Instagram that she was diagnosed with Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC), which led to dangerous heart rhythms resulting in her heart stopping. She emphasized that it would be unsafe for her to resume running, marking the end of that chapter in her life.
During an event in Raleigh, North Carolina, Simpson collapsed while guiding a group of girls in a mile run. Immediate CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillator were administered before she was transported to the hospital by medics. In her post, Simpson expressed gratitude for being alive and requested that well-wishers refrain from apologies but instead acknowledge their happiness at her survival.
Simpson dominated women’s 1,500-meter running in the U.S. for nearly a decade starting in 2007. Her achievements include winning world championships in 2011, securing two second-place finishes, and earning an Olympic bronze medal in Rio in 2016.