6X NCAA Champion Parker Valby drops 5000m to focus completely on the 10,000m at the Paris Olympics

Parker Valby opted out of the 5000m run at the Paris Olympics and chose only to focus on the 10000 at the Games. The six-time NCAA champion earned the silver in the 10000m finals and a fifth-place finish in the 5000m at the 2024 US Olympic Track and Field Trials.

Parker Valby has been on a winning spree since her 5000m win at the 2023 NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Track and Field Championships. In 2024, she swept the 5000m title at the NCAA Indoor Division 1 Track and Field Championships and earned the 3000m win as well. Her 5000m time of 14:52.79 broke her own collegiate record she set in 2023.

Soon after, Parker Valby won the 5000m and 10000m races at the 2024 Outdoor Division 1 Track and Field Championships. Her 5000m effort clocked a time of 14:52.18, which broke her own record time of 14:52.79 she set at the Indoor Championships.

At the 2024 US Olympic Trials, Valby pitched up for 5000m and 10000m, vying for the coveted Olympic spots. She finished fourth in the 5000m and second in the 10000m and was allowed to run in both races at the Summer Games.

However, she struck herself out of the 5000m roster and chose to focus solely on the 10000m at the Olympics, as confirmed by CITIUS Mag. Valby didn't run the 10000m under the Olympic standard, 30:40.00, but her ranking was high enough to get her a spot.

In an interview, she shared that her fourth-place finish in the 5000m didn't leave her an option to run it at the Games.

"I didn't come this far to just come this far. I didn't want to leave on a 4th place note, and I knew my strength was the 10,000," she said. (via Gainesville)

St. Pierre also canceled the 5000m to focus completely on the 1500m, which upgraded Whittni Orton Morgan's position from fifth place to third place in the 5000m, thus earning her an Olympic spot.

Parker Valby expresses excitement about visiting Switzerland during her trip to Paris

2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field - Day 9

Hailing from Tampa, Florida, the 21-year-old will head to Europe for the first time in her life. In an interview, Parker Valby expressed excitement about the food and coffee and planned to visit Switzerland for the scenic beauty and cows.

"I'm probably most excited for the coffee and the food. Maybe I'll hit up Switzerland. That's my dream because there are so many cows there," said Valby (via Gainesville)

The 10000m final at the Paris Olympics is scheduled for August 9, 2024, at the State de France.