Jennifer Rhines

Who is Jennifer Rhines?

Jennifer Rhines is an American long-distance runner who competes in track, cross country and road running events. She has competed in three different Summer Olympics.

Rhines attended Villanova University as an undergraduate. While at Villanova, Rhines was a five-time NCAA individual champion: 5000 meters, 5000i meters, and cross country. As a post-collegiate professional runner, Rhines has won three USA 15K national titles, a USA half-marathon championship, and was USA 10,000 meter champion on the track in 2002. She competed in the women's 10,000 meters race at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and finished 16th with a time of 31:26.66. In the 2004 Athens Olympics, she competed in the women's marathon and finished the race in 34th place with a time of 2:43:52.

Rhines qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games by placing second in the 5000 meters at the U.S. Olympic Trials. She finished 14th in the 5000m Beijing final with a time of 16:34.63. Rhines won the 2011 USA Half marathon title, with a time of 1:11:14 in Houston, TX.

She was the first American to finish at the 2011 Carlsbad 5000, coming third in a time of 15:37 minutes for the 5 km race.