U.S. Marathoner and Zamst Athlete Amy Cragg Takes Bronze at the 2017 IAAF World Marathon Championships

IRVINE, CA- AUGUST 9, 2017

On Sunday, August 6, 2017, two-time Olympian Amy Cragg ended the U.S. marathon medal drought, that spanned over three decades, at the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London. Cragg, the winner of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, clocked a time of 2:27:18 to earn a bronze medal. 

During the first two hours of the marathon, a group of ten to fourteen women ran tightly in a close pack, and it was not until the last 5k of the race, where the competitors’ race tactics began to play out as four women, including Cragg, made the break for three medals. Cragg approached the final mile in fourth and caught glimpse of Kenya’s Flomena Daniel, who was running in third place. Known for her fierceness and determination across multiple distances, Cragg pushed to silence the physical pain and mental fatigue to surge towards the runner ahead. “I knew this was the moment I would remember, whether or not I pushed to get a medal,” said Cragg. “I said to myself, ‘Just be as close as you can and you’ll be able to dig deep enough. Don’t give her an inch.’” 

With 800 meters to go and the finish line in sight, Cragg gritted her teeth, reeled in Daniel with every step, and passed her in the final 400 meters to take home the bronze medal. As she crossed the finish line, she embraced her coach, Jerry Schumacher, and husband, Alistair Cragg, with tears of joy and relief. This is the first world marathon medal won by an American woman since Marianne Dickerson won silver in 1983 World Championships. 

“Amy is one of the world’s best long distance runners and we’re thrilled to watch her dreams and aspirations come into fruition at the World Champs,” said Bryan Smeltzer, General Manager for Zamst U.S. “We love supporting Amy’s athletic career and providing the injury prevention and protection solutions she needs as an elite runner, but most importantly we have enjoyed getting to know her personally. She is an incredibly kind and compassionate individual and our congratulations go out to her, her team, her family, and Team USA.”

Zamst and Cragg renewed their partnership earlier this year to help Cragg stay healthy and consistent in her training. “Over the years I have dealt with Achilles Tendinitis and Plantar Fasciitis,” said Cragg. “The mobile compression + ice braces along with the AT-1 Achilles support product have helped me recover faster and keep training when injuries arise. Zamst has been a huge help with injury prevention and support!”

Zamst has been supporting the run community for over 20 years and has a long heritage of providing solutions for run specific injuries and prevention needs. With a rich heritage in the medical field, the company has created its product line through a rigorous development process, which includes in-depth consultation with doctors, trainers and elite athletes to ensure high performance functionality. Zamst products are ideal for runners because they combine lightweight support, compression and circulation benefits while allowing for full range of motion.

About ZAMST 

ZAMST is a market leading brand of sports protective equipment, and used by professionals athletes worldwide. ZAMST offers a full line of premium injury prevention and protection sports bracing and supports products, featuring anatomically correct designs, high performance materials and superior construction. ZAMST is a division of the NIPPON SIGMAX Co., Ltd (Tokyo, JAPAN) with privately held, wholly owned subsidiary corporations, SIGMAX AMERICA (Irvine, CALIFORNIA), SIGMAX EUROPE (Annecy, FRANCE) and SIGMAX CHINA (Shanghai, PRC). For more information, call toll free 877-ZAMST-US (877-926-7887) or visit http://www.ZAMST.us.