Gwen Jorgensen announces return to triathlon

Gwen Jorgensen
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Gwen Jorgensen, who in 2016 became the first U.S. Olympic triathlon gold medalist and then switched to distance running, is going back to triathlon for a 2024 Olympic bid.

Jorgensen, 36, said she was motivated to do triathlon again by watching the U.S. team that won a silver medal in the first Olympic mixed-gender triathlon relay in Tokyo.

“It’s going to be hard to come back,” Jorgensen said. “I’m also getting older, and a lot of times they say you lose your speed when you get older, but I think that’s a myth, and I want to prove that wrong.”

Jorgensen was arguably the most dominant triathlete in history in the Rio Olympic cycle, winning a record 13 consecutive top-level events — going undefeated for nearly two years — en route to her gold medal.

Then in 2017, she had baby Stanley and, having accomplished every triathlon goal, announced a switch to the marathon with a goal to win the Olympic marathon.

She moved from Minnesota to Oregon. She ran two marathons, placing 13th in New York City in November 2016 in 2:41:01 off triathlon training and then 11th in Chicago in October 2018 in 2:36:23 after a weeklong fever. She didn’t race at all in 2019, sidelined by heel pain, and then opted not to race the Olympic marathon trials in February 2020.

Jorgensen had her second child, George, in October.

The U.S. can qualify up to three women in 2024 for the Paris Games. This past season, the U.S. had the world’s third-, fourth- and 12th-ranked triathletes (Taylor Knibb, Taylor Spivey and Kirsten Kasper). Katie Zaferes, the Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist, said last month that she plans to return to racing in 2023 for the first time since 2021. She had son Kimble this past July 7.

The next World Triathlon Championship Series season starts in mid-May. Jorgensen will be 38 come the Paris Games, older than any previous U.S. Olympic triathlete, according to Olympedia.org.

“I’m probably going to be forced to race earlier than I’d like to, before I’m fit, before I’m kind of totally ready,” Jorgensen said. “But I’ve just got to dive in and get it started.”

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2023 French Open women’s singles draw, scores

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At the French Open, Iga Swiatek of Poland eyes a third title at Roland Garros and a fourth Grand Slam singles crown overall.

The tournament airs live on NBC Sports, Peacock and Tennis Channel through championship points in Paris.

Swiatek, the No. 1 seed from Poland, can join Serena Williams and Justine Henin as the lone women to win three or more French Opens since 2000.

Turning 22 during the tournament, she can become the youngest woman to win three French Opens since Monica Seles in 1992 and the youngest woman to win four Slams overall since Williams in 2002.

FRENCH OPEN: Broadcast Schedule | Men’s Draw

But Swiatek is not as dominant as in 2022, when she went 16-0 in the spring clay season during an overall 37-match win streak.

She retired from her most recent match with a right thigh injury last week and said it wasn’t serious. Before that, she lost the final of another clay-court tournament to Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.

Sabalenka, the No. 2 seed, and Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, the No. 4 seed and Wimbledon champion, are the top challengers in Paris.

No. 3 Jessica Pegula and No. 6 Coco Gauff, runner-up to Swiatek last year, are the best hopes to become the first American to win a Grand Slam singles title since Sofia Kenin at the 2020 Australian Open. The 11-major drought is the longest for U.S. women since Seles won the 1996 Australian Open.

MORE: All you need to know for 2023 French Open

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2023 French Open Women’s Singles Draw

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2023 French Open men’s singles draw, scores

French Open Men's Draw
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The French Open men’s singles draw is missing injured 14-time champion Rafael Nadal for the first time since 2004, leaving the Coupe des Mousquetaires ripe for the taking.

The tournament airs live on NBC Sports, Peacock and Tennis Channel through championship points in Paris.

Novak Djokovic is not only bidding for a third crown at Roland Garros, but also to lift a 23rd Grand Slam singles trophy to break his tie with Nadal for the most in men’s history.

FRENCH OPEN: Broadcast Schedule | Women’s Draw

But the No. 1 seed is Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who won last year’s U.S. Open to become, at 19, the youngest man to win a major since Nadal’s first French Open title in 2005.

Now Alcaraz looks to become the second-youngest man to win at Roland Garros since 1989, after Nadal of course.

Alcaraz missed the Australian Open in January due to a right leg injury, but since went 30-3 with four titles. Notably, he has not faced Djokovic this year. They could meet in the semifinals.

Russian Daniil Medvedev, who lost in the French Open first round in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, is improved on clay. He won the Italian Open, the last top-level clay event before the French Open, and is the No. 2 seed ahead of Djokovic.

No. 9 Taylor Fritz, No. 12 Frances Tiafoe and No. 16 Tommy Paul are the highest-seeded Americans, all looking to become the first U.S. man to make the French Open quarterfinals since Andre Agassi in 2003. Since then, five different American men combined to make the fourth round on eight occasions.

MORE: All you need to know for 2023 French Open

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2023 French Open Men’s Singles Draw

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