TOKYO – Former University of San Francisco women's track and field and cross country runner Maor Tiyouri had a tremendous showing in the women's marathon yesterday. The 2014 graduate, who competes for Israel, finished 48^th with a time of 2:37.52.
 
Tiyouri's second appearance in the Olympics was a successful one. In 2016 in the Rio games, she finished 90^th with a time of 2:47.27. This time around, she battled through intense conditions, which saw the temperature hit the high 80s with intense humidity, saw many athletes suffer from cramps,
 
"I wanted to start relatively patiently and that is what I did," said Tiyouri following the race. "We knew it was going to be hot and we dealt with it. We had an orderly plan of drinking during the run and I exercised it."
 
"After about a half a marathon, I started having craps that made me lose focus. They arrived at indefinite times and I had a hard time dealing with it. I went into a situation where I was just hoping to finish in the best way and I am happy with my results under these conditions," she added. "I came in 48^th place and I am satisfied that I was in the top-50."
 
Kenya's Peres Jepchirchir took gold with a time of 2:27.20, she edged out countryman Brigid Kosgei by 16 seconds. Bronze went to USA's Molly Seidel with a time of 2:27.46.
 
The strong showing by Tiyouri caps off an impressive run by the Dons in the Tokyo games. Earlier this week, Lizzie Bird finished ninth in the final of the women's steeplechase, setting a new British team record and making history as the first British runner to complete in the finals of the event.
 
USF's German contingent of Elena Burkard ('16) and Lea Meyer made their Olympic debut's in the preliminaries of the women's 3000m steeple.