A former Iowa State distance runner champion is now a champion marathon runner.

Betsy Saina, who competed for the Cyclones from 2008 to 2013 in cross country and track, won the Paris Marathon on Sunday with a time of two hours, 22 minutes and 55 seconds.  

Saina was a three-time national champion at Iowa State in cross country, the 10,000-meter run and 5,000-meter run.  She was also an 11-time All-American and took home nine Big 12 championships as a Cyclone.

Following her collegiate career, Saina went on to take fifth place in the 2016 Olympics in the 10,000-meter run. She then moved up to running longer distances after the games in Rio de Janeiro, but was a last-minute entry to this year’s Paris Marathon.

The race was close throughout, but Saina was able to take control of the lead after Amane Gobena, owner of the fastest personal record in the field, fell down toward the homestretch of the the race.

From there, Saina held off fellow Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich and Ethiopian Gulume Chala to win the marathon by just four seconds.

The win was Saina’s first marathon win of her career.