Shannon Rowbury Fires back at Jenny Simpson

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time for cat fight

5 years ago 07/22/2015 12:09pm CDT

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SI: Back on the subject of Monaco, Jenny Simpson had some interesting comments about how the race played out. How would you characterize the competitive nature between you two? Rivalry is a strong word and Jenny was quick to say that you haven’t beaten her in years and so it has not been a back-and-forth contest.

ROWBURY: We went back and forth in 2012. I made the Olympic final and placed sixth there and she didn’t even make the final. I beat her at the U.S. Championships in that year as well. In 2011, I was injured. In 2012, I performed better than her. In 2013, I did the 5K and she was placing well, and she medaled again. Last year, she ran faster than me. I don’t really count the Zurich final, because I feel that I was tripped there.

To her credit, she’s run very well over the years but I’ve never thought of her in a category as better than me. I just understand the sport as being something with its ups and downs. I’ve been one of the top Americans since 2008 and I’m very proud of that consistency. I appreciate having other women to push me to being better. Having Jenny beat me by two seconds in Paris last year was a good reminder of how much work I needed to do and where I needed to be, if I want to be the best in the world. Growing up in California, to even make the state meet was a huge
challenge because of great depths of talent. I like the challenge.

I’m thrilled I got the American record in a race where I beat Jenny by a second over the last 100 meters. It makes it that much more meaningful that I was in a race with the other top American and was able to definitely beat her and set the record. I want to earn whatever I get.

then again

SI: Is a little part of you relieved not to see her running the 1,500-meter race in Beijing next month for Ethiopia?

ROWBURY: I saw that report that she wasn’t selected, but at the end it said that maybe she would be selected. I’m reserving judgment until it gets a little closer to the championships. One way or the other, I can’t control what she does. I’ve seen people that no one thought would win championships, come out on top. When Jenny won in 2011, no one predicted her to be the world champion. I know how championship racing can be and you never know what can happen. I’m focused on preparing for the rounds, a good finish and whatever might happen. My preparation remains the same, whether she’s in the race or not.
real old guy

5 years ago 07/22/2015 12:28pm CDT
re: time for cat fight

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Cool, calm, collected, class. Go, Shannon!!
clear response

5 years ago 07/22/2015 12:34pm CDT
re: time for cat fight

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Can you provide a link to the source material so we can read it in context?
Sports Illustrated

5 years ago 07/22/2015 12:36pm CDT
re: clear response

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Here you go:

http://www.si.com/more-sports/2015/07/22/shannon-rowbury-1500m-american-record-holder
bkrunner

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5 years ago 07/22/2015 1:00pm CDT
re: time for cat fight

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Your OP is a bit misleading. The second question is about Dibaba, not Simpson.
Why hasn't anybody noticed???!

5 years ago 07/22/2015 1:07pm CDT
re: time for cat fight

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I bet theturbine.com cost jenny the ar. I mean how could she possibly compete with Shannon when Shannon is getting 38% more airflow?!? Just think of what dibaba could have done in that race with 38% more airflow?????

Morna

5 years ago 07/22/2015 1:17pm CDT
re: Why hasn't anybody noticed???!

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Jenny Simpson: World Champion, 2011. Second best in the world, 2013.

Shannon Rowbury: Third best in the world, 2009.

The results speak for themselves. Jenny is a much better runner.
Arschlock

5 years ago 07/22/2015 1:20pm CDT
re: time for cat fight

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Oh- this is just what this sport needs, and Shannon will play a perfect villain with her black uniform and crazy lipstick.
Grady O'Malley

5 years ago 07/22/2015 1:38pm CDT
re: Arschlock

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The women's 1500 in the U.S. has exploded since '08. Shannon initiated it by running 4:00 when no one had for years, and now we have schoolgirls going after that mark. 4:03 used to guarantee a team spot, now it might not get you in a USATF final.

All through this, Shannon has adapted and gotten stronger. My hat is off to this lady, no need to discount Jenny in any way. For Jenny's part, she has fueled the boom, in addition to making the U.S. a women's steeple player.
Letsgetreadytorumble

5 years ago 07/22/2015 2:06pm CDT
re: Arschlock

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Get out the popcorn, this is getting good!

I actually thought that Jenny threw Shannon a lot of shade in her prior interview. Shannon provided a pretty good, calm rebuttal that pointed out her contribution to the sport.

In this recent article, Jenny stated, "...but what I am really impressed with is putting together an impressive body of work and I feel winning the Diamond Race is representative of that."

http://www.iaaf.org/news/series/jenny-simpson-1500m-runner-usa

She's quite impressed with herself, no?

Arschlock wrote:

Oh- this is just what this sport needs, and Shannon will play a perfect villain with her black uniform and crazy lipstick.
bulldog35

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5 years ago 07/22/2015 2:12pm CDT
re: time for cat fight

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I am a fan of both of them but Jenny Simpson can't be thinking much like "a Legend" now after running one her best races ever and getting stomped by 7 seconds.

Psychologically this could really impact Simpson and much more than Rowbury.
Remember when that Kenyan 800 meter Olympic champ came out of nowhere and was running 154-155 consistently for a season. The world indoor champ from Australia quit the event after realizing she could never run that fast.

Simpson should have some great sports psychologists at her disposal and she will need them now. 3:50 is like breaking 20 seconds for 200 meters and have someone like bolt run 18.9X. Pretty damaging on the Psych if you see yourself as a Legend!
rookery

5 years ago 07/22/2015 2:23pm CDT
re: bulldog35

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eh, this is not the start of a good/bad rivalry. Rowbury would make a terrible villain - I have no idea what you are even talking about.

but it's a rivalry which is great.

Neither is an aggressive person, so they won't get personal. But they are world class athletes and national champions so they aren't pushovers either.

Clearly Jenny S has the superior resume - world champ and diamond league champ

but that worm can turn

letsgetreadytorumble

5 years ago 07/22/2015 2:35pm CDT
re: rookery

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Don't forget that Morgan Uceny, my old favorite, dominated both of them in 2011-2012.

rookery wrote:

eh, this is not the start of a good/bad rivalry. Rowbury would make a terrible villain - I have no idea what you are even talking about.

but it's a rivalry which is great.

Neither is an aggressive person, so they won't get personal. But they are world class athletes and national champions so they aren't pushovers either.

Clearly Jenny S has the superior resume - world champ and diamond league champ

but that worm can turn
nothing

5 years ago 07/22/2015 2:53pm CDT
re: time for cat fight

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Nothing Shannon said disputed what Jenny said. Jenny said "years" but didn't specify how many, only more than one. According to what Shannon said, Jenny had beaten her in 2013 when she focused on the 5k, 2014, and 2015 up until Monaco.

Jenny was right, and Shannon defends herself like her coach defends himself - by saying things that are true but don't even apply to the actual argument.
Teehee

5 years ago 07/22/2015 3:08pm CDT
re: letsgetreadytorumble

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[quote]letsgetreadytorumble wrote:

Don't forget that Morgan Uceny, my old favorite, dominated both of them in 2011-2012.

[quote]

Shouldn't your name be letsgetreadytotumble then?
Lenny Leonard

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5 years ago 07/22/2015 3:16pm CDT
re: time for cat fight

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Awesome. Also, Shannon has the World Relays gold. Jenny would never take part in something that wasn't 100% focused on herself.

Jenny is definitely the "heel" in this rivalry. Never has anything good to say about her competitors.
Les

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5 years ago 07/22/2015 3:19pm CDT
re: Morna

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Morna wrote:

Jenny Simpson: World Champion, 2011. Second best in the world, 2013.

Shannon Rowbury: Third best in the world, 2009.

The results speak for themselves. Jenny is a much better runner.

"Much better"? The only much better runner right now is Dibaba. At the world class level there's very little difference between competitors. Nobody is "much better" or "dominates" other world class runners consistently except for all-time greats. Even at the US level there's constant change at the top. '08' - 10: Rowbury, 11-12: Uceny, 13-14: Simpson, 15?
Isntitobvious

5 years ago 07/22/2015 3:24pm CDT
re: Lenny Leonard

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Other than perhaps Mo and Galen, is there anyone more worthy of doping suspicion than Shannon (other than perhaps Trenier a few year back). Her late career trajectory is incredible and worthy of scrutiny. My guess is Jenny's tone is informed by concern/assumption/knowledge that Shannon is doping to beat her.
Isntitobvious

5 years ago 07/22/2015 3:30pm CDT
re: Isntitobvious

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* comparisons are for within NOP
agip

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5 years ago 07/22/2015 3:31pm CDT
re: Isntitobvious

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Isntitobvious wrote:

Other than perhaps Mo and Galen, is there anyone more worthy of doping suspicion than Shannon (other than perhaps Trenier a few year back). Her late career trajectory is incredible and worthy of scrutiny. My guess is Jenny's tone is informed by concern/assumption/knowledge that Shannon is doping to beat her.

that's crazy talk

rowbury has run about the same times for years and years. This 1500 is the only jump.

And this is not late career - she's only 30. She could have another 8 years for pre's sake