© Copyright – 2018 – Athletics Illustrated
Winnipeg, Manitoba’s Nicole Sifuentes (née Edwards), one of Canada all-time best 1500-metre specialists is hanging up her spikes before 2018 runs its course.
“I will be retiring at the end of this year. For now, I am working to get fit again since taking a break after 5th Ave,” said Sifuentes. “There aren’t a ton of race opportunities this time of year for track runners but I want to close out the year with some fun races. I’m doing the Detroit Road Mile on Saturday and we’ll see from there.”
The Detroit Road Mile is part of the Detroit Free Press/Chemical Bank Marathon weekend and is new this year. They are marketing it as a competitive mile but for all abilities.
The 5th Ave road mile ran on the roads on Sept 5th and was won by Boulder, CO’s Jenny Simpson. She finished in the time of 4:19. Sifuentes finished seventh by clocking a time of 4:25.
Sifuentes’ best track one-mile (1609m) time was set in August this year at 4:27.82 in Raleigh, NC.
As track and field season takes place during spring and summer, asked if she will take in a cross-country season, she said “[I am] not planning to do cross-country (unless perhaps they bring back the 4K this year!), nor am I planning to get into the road circuit.”
Her best over 5,000-metres is a respectable 15:19.15 from the 2015 Payton Jordan Invitational meet that happens in May annually in Palo Alto, CA.
In her primary event, the 1500m, she has run as fast as 4:03.97 two years ago. She also owns a World Cup silver medal from Split, Croatia in 2010 and an IAAF World Indoor Championships bronze medal (4:07.61) from the Sopot, Poland event that took place four years ago.
Sifuentes finished fourth during the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games in the 1500m final clocking a 4:10.48 in a tactical race. She is a two-time national champion, once in the 1500m and 5,000m respectively from the 2015 Edmonton national championships.
The runner with the conservative stride, who has lived for the past decade in Michigan, will turn more to coaching.
“I continue to volunteer with the University of Michigan women’s team and down the road will take on more personal clients as well (I just have a few right now). I find that individuals who hire coaches are so motivated to improve and reach their potential. It’s very rewarding to work with them and every person is so different that it’s all so very interesting. I have so much knowledge and experience to share but I also learn so much from each individual.”
Sifuentes competed for the Wolverines from 2006 to 2009. She earned silver and bronze medals during the NCAA indoor championships and competed in several conference championships.
She went on to compete in two Olympic Games.
Sifuentes’ retirement follows the recent retirements of 2012 London Olympian Hilary Stellingwerff (4:05.08) and two-time NCAA Champion Sheila Reid (4:02.96).
