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Emma Bates to miss U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials

Emma Bates

EUGENE, OREGON - JULY 18: Emma Bates of Team United States competes in the Women’s Marathon on day four of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field on July 18, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images for World Athletics)

Getty Images for World Athletics

Emma Bates, the third-fastest U.S. female marathoner of 2023, will miss the Feb. 3 Olympic Trials, where the top three are in line to make the team for Paris.

“There’s just not enough time to be where I need to be,” Bates said in a tearful social media video. “Another four years to wait for another Olympic team. I’ll be OK.”

Bates, 31, lowered her personal best each of the last three years. In 2021, she placed second at the Chicago Marathon. In 2022, she was the second American at the world championships (seventh overall) and in New York City (eighth).

Last year, she was the top American in Boston (fifth in a personal-best 2:22:10). She was 13th overall in her most recent marathon in Chicago on Oct. 8, slowed by a foot injury.

Bates did not say in Saturday’s video whether the foot injury was her reason for missing trials.

The field for the Olympic Trials in Orlando is expected to include Betsy Saina, the fastest American in 2023 (2:21:40), American record holder Emily Sisson and Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Molly Seidel.

2023 Fastest U.S. Women’s Marathons

RunnerTimeRace
Betsy Saina2:21:40Tokyo
Emily Sisson2:22:09Chicago
Emma Bates2:22:10Boston
Molly Seidel2:23:07Chicago
Sara Vaughn2:23:24Chicago
Susanna Sullivan2:24:27London
Gabriella Rooker2:24:35Chicago
Aliphine Tuliamuk2:24:37Boston
Dakotah Lindwurm2:24:40Chicago
Nell Rojas2:24:51Boston

2022/2023 Fastest U.S. Women’s Marathons

RunnerTimeRace
Emily Sisson2:18:29Chicago 2022
Keira D’Amato2:19:12Houston 2022
Betsy Saina2:21:40Tokyo 2023
Keira D’Amato2:21:48Berlin 2022
Emily Sisson2:22:09Chicago 2023
Sara Hall2:22:10World Championships 2022
Emma Bates2:22:10Boston 2023
Sara Hall2:22:56Tokyo 2022
Molly Seidel2:23:07Chicago 2023
Emma Bates2:23:18World Championships 2022