ORLANDO, Fla. – Former Northern State runner Dakotah (Bullen) Lindwurm is headed to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The distance ace, who is a native of St. Francis, Minn., qualified for the Olympics by placing third in the women’s marathon during an Olympic qualifying event on Saturday in Orlando, Fla. Lindwurm covered the distance in a time of 2 hours, 25 minutes, 31 seconds.
Lindwurm walked on to the Northern State cross country team. She later went on to become to the first Minnesota native to win back-to-back women’s titles at Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minn.
Lindwurm, 28, explained her emotions during the last stages of the race.
“I was just calling on the Lord those last four miles knowing I had a little bit of a gap on fourth. I was just praying to God to help me through all of that,” Lindwurm said in a post-race interview. “I’m such an underdog. I was a walk-on at my Division II cross country team. I just feel so blessed to be here. I’m still in awe. I don’t know if I have the words yet.”
Lindwurm was a five-time NCAA Division II national qualifier while running for Northern and earned first team All-American honors in 2017 in outdoor track, and second team honors in cross country.
Lindwurm, who has had to prove herself throughout her running career, will now represent the United States on the biggest stage in the world.
“I just showed up every day, I was working hard. I just had this undeniable belief in myself,” Lindwurm said. “I knew I could carry this flag on my shoulders and represent this country and here we are.”
