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WWE Belt On The Line In Chicago Marathon Rivalry Between Keira D’Amato And Her Husband

...and bragging rights, of course

As the 2024 Chicago Marathon approaches, American fans will have their eyes on Keira D’Amato as she returns to the event after a three-year absence. Set for Oct. 13, the race will see thousands of runners throughout the streets of the windy city to tackle the iconic course. D’Amatoโ€™s return is especially anticipated following a disappointing performance at the U.S. Olympic marathon trials earlier this year, and sheโ€™s bringing a competitive edgeโ€”not just with herself, but also with her husband, Anthony (Tony).

WWE Belt On The Line In Chicago Marathon Rivalry Between Keira D'Amato And Her Husband 1

After a rough Olympic trials back in February, D’Amato revamped her approach, relocating from Richmond to Park City for altitude training and switching coaches, now under the renowned Ed Eyestone. Regardless, Dโ€™Amato has more than just professional goals in mind for Chicago: If her husband, Tony, finishes within 40 minutes of her time, heโ€™ll win a WWE-style Championship belt (that he ordered off of Amazon), a playful but tough bet given her experience and speed.

In a pre-race interview, Dโ€™Amato said her preparation for the Chicago Marathon has been one of the best build ups she’s ever had. Logging around 95 miles per week, her training regimen has been intense, but she says she has a solid support crew around her. Matthew Centrowitz, for example, an Olympic gold medalist in the 1,500m, will serve as her pacer during the race on Sunday. Additionally, her training partner Makena Morley will also be competing, giving D’Amato a familiar face among the sea of competitors.

WWE Belt On The Line In Chicago Marathon Rivalry Between Keira D'Amato And Her Husband 2

Though D’Amato has had a solid build up despite undergoing major changes in her training environment and coaching team, she admits that the results of this build-up will remain a mystery until race day. In a recent conversation with Citius, she shared, โ€œIโ€™ve never trained at altitude before, and this is all new. Iโ€™m not entirely sure what it means for race day.โ€ Despite the uncertainty, Dโ€™Amato is confident that sheโ€™s in the best shape sheโ€™s been in recent years, crediting the altitude training and the higher volume of work sheโ€™s put in.

With her preparations in place, D’Amato’s comeback story is about more than just redemption from her lacklustre Olympic trials earlier this yearโ€”itโ€™s also a fun challenge with her husband. While Tony is determined to close that 40-minute gap, it wonโ€™t be easy against the former American marathon record holder.

But how does Tony feel about all this?

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For D’Amato’s husband, it’s been about seven and a half years since he last ran a marathon. However, he says, “the legs don’t feel like it’s been seven and a half years.” In a pre-race interview, Tony said his race plan is to “send it around mile two and try to break three.

Whether he manages to win the WWE belt or not, Dโ€™Amato is set to make her mark once again on the streets of Chicago, and her fans are eagerly waiting to see if she can reclaim the spotlight. This yearโ€™s Chicago Marathon promises to be exciting, with Dโ€™Amatoโ€™s return, her high-octane training, and the added little bet creating plenty of storylines for both spectators and competitors.

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Jessy Carveth

Senior News Editor

Jessy has been active her whole life, competing in cross-country, track running, and soccer throughout her undergrad. She pivoted to road cycling after completing her Bachelor of Kinesiology with Nutrition from Acadia University. Jessy is currently a professional road cyclist living and training in Spain.

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