Kim Pawelek Brantly (born January 20, 1974) is a Vietnamese-Americanmiddle- andlong-distance runner. She is the woman's 1999 USMarathon Champion.
When Kim Pawelek Brantly was one year old, her family boarded a plane at theSaigon airport to escape the troubles of theVietnam War. Shortly after their takeoff, further evacuation came to a halt due to theBombing of Tan Son Nhut Air Base.[1] After arriving in the United States, Pawelek's family began a new life inBaltimore, then moved toThorp, Wisconsin, where Pawelek's mother attended elementary school with her daughters. Later, the family moved toPort Charlotte, Florida, when Pawelek was a preteen.[2] When she was 14, Pawelek's father Alan and mother Linda Nguyen separated. Eventually, Nguyen wanted to move Pawelek and her sister Mary to Texas, but Pawelek refused. Despite initial disagreement, Nguyen decided to allow Pawelek to remain in Florida. Pawelek attended high school and college in Florida, where her running career began.[1][2]
Kim Pawelek Brantly began running long distance during her senior year atPort Charlotte High School.[3] The very first time Pawelek raced, she came in last. Originally asprint runner, Pawelek began long distance running to train for soccer.[4] As a senior at theUniversity of North Florida, Pawelek wonNCAA Division II titles in the5K run and10K run.[5] Pawelek went on after college to continue training for and running marathons, with many wins and finishes within the top 10 racers. Pawelek's most notable success was her 1999Twin Cities Marathon win, which was the woman's 1999USA Marathon Championships. The fast competition pushed her to her fastest marathon time of 2:37:56.[4] As Pawelek continued to train for marathons, she also had her sights set on trying for theOlympics. Pawelek participated in the 2000 Trials, and finished in 7th place,[6] netting her $13,000 in prize money.[7]
Pawelek is married toKeith Brantly, a former professionallong-distance runner.[1]
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Summer Universiade Half Marathon | Palma de Mallorca, Spain | 5th | Half marathon | 1:15:47[8] |
| 1999 | Twin Cities Marathon | Minneapolis–Saint Paul | 1st | Marathon | 2:37:56[9] |
| 2000 | US Olympic Marathon Trials | Columbia, South Carolina | 7th | Marathon | 2:39:16[7] |
| 2000 | Walt Disney World Half Marathon | Orlando, Florida | 1st | Half-marathon | 1:15:19[10] |
| 2001 | Walt Disney World Half Marathon | Orlando, Florida | 1st | Half marathon | 1:16:46[10] |
| 2002 | IAAF World Half Marathon Championship | Brussels, Belgium | 54th | Half marathon | 1:17:30[11] |
| 2004 | Walt Disney World Half Marathon | Orlando, Florida | 1st | Half marathon | 1:18:12[10] |
| 2004 | Jacksonville Half Marathon | Jacksonville, Florida | 1st | Half marathon | 1:22:59[12] |
| 2006 | Jacksonville Marathon | Jacksonville, Florida | 1st | Marathon | 2:56:04[13] |
| 2008 | Walt Disney World Half Marathon | Orlando, Florida | 1st | Half marathon | 1:18:07[10] |
| 2006 | Jacksonville Marathon | Jacksonville, Florida | 1st | Marathon | 2:41:30[9] |
