BEIJING - The U.S.’s hope for a medal was dashed when 2011 World Champion Jenny Simpson lost her shoe at 700m to go in the 1500m World Championship final. 

 

“I was kind of pushed into the traffic and somebody clipped my heel and I lost my shoe,” Simpson told the media afterwards. 
 

The much anticipated race started with the Americans taking the lead from the gun as Shannon Rowbury and Simpson jumped ahead Tuesday night at the National Stadium. The two Olympians maintained the top position through 700m to go when 1500m world record-holder Genzebe Dibaba made her way to the front of the pack. Simpson responded to Dibaba’s move by stepping alongside the World Indoor Champion, but was stepped on from behind by Abeba Aregawi of Sweden. 

 

“I tried to stay as much as I could in the race,” Simpson said while holding her spike. 

700m into the race, Dibaba moved to the front of the pack. (Photos: PrettySporty.com) 

Simpson attempted to move around Dibaba and was stepped on by Aregawi from behind.



Simpson kept running with her shoe halfway on her foot, trying her best to grip the sole with her toes. It was around 600m remaining in the race when she was forced to kick the shoe off as it bothered her for every step on the track. 

 

“It’s so hard to get that aggressive when you don’t have a spike on…but having that long to kind of deal with your foot on the track, I don’t know maybe I’m going to go back to wearing socks with my spikes,” Simpson said. 
 

Once the shoe was lost, Simpson began to fade to the back of the pack and eventually finished the race in 11th place overall in 4:16. Rowbury held on for a seventh place finish in 4:12, while Dibaba unleashed an unmatchable kick to claim the World Championship title in 4:08 with a blazing 1:57 last 800m. 

 

Despite the disappointing result, Simpson maintains that Dibaba’s unparalleled closing speed wouldn’t have been a factor for her had she not lost her shoe. Simpson owns an 800m personal best of 2:00 from 2013. 

 

“I don’t think an 800m PB has anything to do with how you can close in a 15 and I’ve shown that in years, but not just me other people have [too],” Simpson said. 
 

Heading into the 2016 Olympic year, Simpson is taking the championship experience in stride knowing that she was unable to put forth her best effort. 

 

“[I’m] grateful for the success I had,” Simpson said.
 

“Tonight wasn’t a fair fight. It’s still ‘unlucky,” She added.