Simone Plourde (born 8 July 2000) is a Canadian middle distance runner who competes in the 1500 m. From 2021 to 2023, she competed for the Utah Utes, before signing professionally with Nike and joining the Union Athletics Club in 2023. She also represented Canada at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.[1]
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 8 July 2000 Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Education | University of Utah |
| Employer | Nike |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (165 cm) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event | Middle distance running |
| University team | Utah Utes (2021-23) BYU Cougars (2020-21) |
| Club | Nike Union Athletics Club |
| Coached by | Pete Julian |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal bests | |
Early life
editBorn and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Plourde's initial main sporting interests were in skiing and soccer.[2] She started to train seriously in athletics in 2018.[3]
Plourde attended secondary school at Pensionnat Saint-Nom-de-Marie and CEGEP at Collège André-Grasset, before enrolling at Brigham Young University in fall 2020. Citing difficulties with fitting into BYU's primarily Mormon population, she before transferred to the University of Utah in 2021.
Athletics career
editCollegiate
editCompeting for the University of Utah,[4] Plourde won the 1500 m at the PAC-12 Championships in May 2023, breaking Shelby Houlihan’s conference record by close to two seconds.[5] In the 5000 m, she placed seventh at the 2023 NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas in June.[3]
Professional
editOn June 29, 2023, She set a Quebec provincial record as she ran a personal best over 1500m at La Classique d’athlétisme de Montréal. She turned professional in July of 2023, joining the Nike Union Athletics Club based in Portland, Oregon. Making her Union Athletics Club debut at the Harry Jerome Classic, she set another personal best and Quebec record of 4:06.47 [6] She finished second in the 1500 m at the Canadian Track and Field Championships in July 2023.[7] She was selected for the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August 2023 where she finished tenth in her heat.[8][9]
In February 2024, she ran a huge personal best in the Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games in New York, recording 4:24.67, an improvement of more than 17 seconds. This placed her third all-time among Canadian women, behind only Gabriela DeBues-Stafford and her sister, Lucia Stafford.[9] She was selected for the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow as part of the Canadian team, to compete in the 1500 metres, where she was eliminated in the heats.[10] She competed in the 1500 metres at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris in August 2024.[11]
References
edit- ^ "Simone Plourde". World Athletics. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
- ^ Robinson, Doug (4 May 2023). "The circuitous route this track duo took to Utah — and to stardom". Deseret. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
- ^ a b Dickinson, Marley (19 July 2023). "Canada's Simone Plourde on turning pro and joining Nike's Union Athletics Club". Running Magazine. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
- ^ "Simone Plourde is part of a group of transfers trying to rebuild Utah track". Salt Lake Tribune. 5 June 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
- ^ "B.C. runner wins two NCAA conference titles". Running Magazine. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
- ^ Dickinson, Marley (14 July 2023). "Montreal's Simone Plourde turns pro, joining Nike's Union Athletics Club". Running Magazine. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
- ^ "Plourde Takes Second at Canadian Championships". utahutes. July 30, 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
- ^ Robinson, Doug (18 August 2023). "These 7 Utah ties will be competing in the world track and field championships this week". Deseret.com. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
- ^ a b Harrison, Doug (11 February 2024). "Plourde, Lumb, Philibert-Thiboutot run personal bests for Canada at Millrose Games". cbc. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
- ^ Dickinson, Marley (15 February 2024). "Athletics Canada names nine athletes to 2024 World Indoor Championship team". Running Magazine. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
- ^ "Women's 1500m Results - Paris Olympic Games 2024 Athletics". Watch Athletics. 10 August 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
External links
edit- Simone Plourde at World Athletics
- Simone Plourde at Athletics Canada
- Simone Plourde at Team Canada
- Simone Plourde at Olympics.com
- Simone Plourde at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics
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