World champion runner Jenny Simpson recently shared on Instagram that a rare heart condition led to her experiencing cardiac arrest during a race in June, and as a result, she has decided not to resume her running career. Simpson, aged 39, disclosed that she was diagnosed with Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC), a condition that led to dangerous heart rhythms causing her heart to stop.
Due to the diagnosis, Simpson emphasized that it would be unsafe for her to continue running, stating, “That chapter has ended, but thankfully, my story continues.” The incident occurred while Simpson was pacing a group of girls during a mile run event in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she collapsed. Immediate CPR was administered at the track, and an automated external defibrillator was used before she was quickly transported to the hospital for further treatment.
In her post, Simpson expressed her gratitude for being alive and requested not to receive expressions of sympathy but rather acknowledgment of being glad that she survived the ordeal. Simpson had an impressive running career spanning a decade from 2007, during which she was the most successful women’s 1,500-meter runner in the United States. She achieved notable victories, including winning world championships in 2011, securing two second-place finishes, and earning an Olympic bronze medal in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
