Steeplechaser James Corrigan learned he was going to the Olympics less than month before the Paris Games were set to begin.
In June 2024, after finishing third at the Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon, Corrigan’s dreams of becoming an Olympian still didn’t come to fruition. That’s because he did not meet the minimum standard required to qualify for the Paris Olympics. When a section of the steeplechase was added to the Penn Relays Summer Showcase in Philadelphia, Corrigan flew across country to compete on June 29, one day before the cutoff date.
With a time of 8:13.87, the 13th fastest time in the world this year, he qualified to compete and represent the U.S. in the Men’s 3000m Steeplechase in Paris. Here’s more about Corrigan’s surprising road to the Olympics, plus some facts about his life off the track including if he has a wife.
James Corrigan’s journey to the Olympics
Corrigan was born on April 16, 2002, to parents Brian and Karen.
He attended Eagle Rock High School in Los Angeles, California, before enrolling at Brigham Young University to major in Mechanical Engineering. There, he became a collegiate athlete. Corrigan won the 3000m steeplechase at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships in May 2024. But placed ninth in the steeplechase at the NCAA Championships in early June.
When he ran and qualified at the Penn Relays, he set a new BYU school record.
“When I crossed the line, I was so so excited,” Corrigan recalled. “It was such a relief to see it all come together.”
BYU director of track and field Ed Eyestone was also very impressed as he told Deseret News: “To finish in the top three at the Olympic Trials, then being asked to essentially run sub 8:15.00 and also to come out here in not ideal weather conditions (85 degrees with 66% humidity) and perform like he did was amazing.
“He had the confidence and faith to get the job done. With two laps to go, I could tell he was tired but could also smell his Olympic berth. It was an impressive performance.”
Corrigan was recently married
Corrigan is married. He announced in April that he was engaged to his girlfriend Ashley Nolan.
The athlete revealed that he and Nolan were tying the knot shortly after he qualified for the Olympics telling the publication Church News: “Regardless of how I was going to run, I knew I had my marriage to look forward to. For everything to exponentially happen as it did, it’s pretty dang cool to be able to share some of these experiences with her.
“It reminded me that regardless of how I did–and she let me know this–that she would be excited for me and we would celebrate everything together. I love her because she doesn’t care how I do, and she is so excited to see me meet my goals and is excited to support me. So having both of these things happen at once is an awesome deal.”
Corrigan and Nolan said “I do” at the Saratoga Springs Utah Temple on Friday, July 5.
