Iowa Woman To Run In 5,000-Meter Final at Tokyo Olympics

It was a big morning for a track and field athlete from Iowa. She qualified for her first final in her first-ever Olympics.

Karissa Schweizer, a native of Urbandale who went to West Des Moines Dowling Catholic before a collegiate career at the University of Missouri, will run in the 5,000-meter final at the Olympics Monday morning at 7:40 a.m. Iowa time.

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According to WHO, Schweizer was part of the first qualifying heat in Tokyo Friday morning. She finished 7th in her heat but her time was faster than any of the runners in the 2nd heat, putting Schweizer in Monday morning's final. Schweizer ran the qualifying heat in 14:51.34, a personal best this season, according to Runner's World.

Schweizer will be one of 15 runners to compete for a medal. If she brings one home, she'll be the first American woman to ever medal in the 5,000-meter race.

*The photo below is from this morning's qualifying race. She appears to have blood on her right leg, but I haven't been able to find any information as to what caused it.

Schweizer, 25, will also compete in the 10,000-meters at the Tokyo Olympics next weekend. That race will be run on Saturday, August 7 at 5:45 a.m. Iowa time. Milwaukee, Wisconsin native Emily Sisson and Avery, Wisconsin native Alicia Monson will also compete in that final.

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics will conclude on Sunday, August 8.