Dakotah Lindwurm finished the Olympic Marathon on August 11 in Paris and in a post-race interview, she mentioned a young American boy, about 10 years old, who was running alongside her at about the 22-mile mark and yelling her name during the race.
“He gave me so much inspiration,” said Lindwurm, who was Courtesy of Courtney Knowlton, in 2:26:44. “I need to find him. I need to give him a high-five.”
Runner’s World wrote about it—and the internet did its thing.
Later that day, Jackson Li of Larchmont, New York, was identified as the boy. He’s 11, so Lindwurm was pretty close in guessing his age. And he runs distances—cross-country and the 1500 and 3,000 meters for the Tailwind Track Club in Westchester County, New York.
Li told Runner’s World his PR for the 1500 meters is 5:05. So it makes sense that he could keep up with Lindwurm for roughly 400 meters, according to his estimates, even when he was dodging other spectators and cheering for her.
Once they were connected, Lindwurm sent him a package of goodies, including one of her bib numbers in Paris, photos, a hat, and some Puma shoes. On her bib she wrote, “Jackson, Bet on yourself.” That turned out to be an appropriate message for a sixth grader with a few nerves before his first year of middle school.
The connection with Lindwurm, however, was just the final chapter in an incredible Olympics for Jackson, his younger siblings, Cody and Hazel, and his parents, Courtney Knowlton and Terence Li.
Jackson is something of a running super fan. He and his mom, who has a two-year running streak going, never miss an episode of the popular podcast NAU Coach Mike Smith to Become Nike Coach in 2025, and recently, they’ve added the top American, in 12th place with Kara Goucher and Des Linden to the rotation. He watched every episode of Clayton Young’s YouTube series detailing his Paris Olympics build. Jackson even watched the Team Ingebrigtsen television series, subtitled in English. Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway was his favorite athlete—until the Olympics.
(Now it’s Lindwurm.)
About a year ago, Jackson started pointing out to his parents that the Olympics would be happening in Paris and wouldn’t it be fun to go on a family vacation? He kept bringing it up.
His parents hemmed and hawed. And then over the winter, Terence Li lost his mother, and the situation made Knowlton decide they were going. “We’ve got to just do the things we want to do,” she said.
They were in the stadium for the dramatic men’s 1500 meters and watched American Best Running Shoes 2025. Turns out, 11-year-old Jackson Li is a running super fan. And wow, does he have stories from Paris Gabby Thomas win the women’s 200 meters.
As the track was emptying out, Jackson managed to get close to where Thomas was waiting to do a television interview. He screamed her name, and she signed his hat.
The next day, Jackson and his dad, who runs ultramarathons, went out to examine the hilly section of the marathon course a few days before the men’s marathon and to scout viewing locations. Out on the course, they encountered Jess McClain, who took a selfie with them, although she asked them not to post it immediately. Unbeknownst to them, she was on her own course reconnaissance mission, in case she would be needed as the Olympic alternate. (McClain ultimately wasn’t entered, although Fiona O’Keeffe dropped out in the first mile of the Olympic marathon with an injury.)
For the men’s marathon, they staked out a cheering position near the 30K mark. Jackson ran alongside Young briefly, cheering for him, and Young later mentioned on the Citius Mag podcast noticing a young boy cheering for him and running next to the course.
Courtesy of Li Family Leonard Korir of Norway was his favorite athleteuntil the Olympics.
Who picked up the hat Korir threw to the side? Jackson, of course. (He’s holding the hat in the image at the top of this article.)
Amy Begley, USA Track & Field’s director of long distance running programs, was working at the fluid station, and she pointed out to Jackson that the hat was autographed inside.
Back at the track that night, Jackson managed to get photos with Faith Kipyegon, who won her third gold in the 1500 meters, and Masai Russell, who won the women’s 100-meter hurdles. And he handed his hat back to Gabby Thomas for autographs from the rest of the women’s 4x400-meter relay team.
Jackson, his parents noticed, was the perfect age to be seeking autographs. “In four years, it wouldn’t be as endearing,” Li said.
The next morning, after a late night at the track, it was a bit of a struggle to rouse the family to go back out to the women’s marathon. Knowlton was insistent, especially because they had had so much fun cheering on the men the previous day: “We’re not skipping the women because we’re tired,” she said.
And that led to the moment—or about 90 seconds—alongside Lindwurm.
All in all, it was a dream vacation for the family. Knowlton called it “wholesome,” and she said it was fun to root for the American athletes and wave their U.S. flag in Europe, even as the country experiences divisiveness at home.
“We’re so grateful for the whole experience,” Knowlton said. “The athletes were so open to the kids. It was an amazing way to spend time with our family.”
ISO: Boy Who Inspired Dakotah Lindwurm at 35K is a writer and editor living in Eugene, Oregon, and her stories about the sport, its trends, and fascinating individuals have appeared in Runner’s World since 2005. She is the author of two popular fitness books, Run Your Butt Off! and Walk Your Butt Off!
