Amid plenty of upsetting news related to the coronavirus, Runners crowned 2024 World Athletes of the Year.
On 29 April, Flanagan, 38, posted a photo of her newly adopted son, Jack Dean Edwards, on Instagram. 'By far, the greatest gift we have ever been given,' she wrote on Instagram. Baby Jack was born the morning of April 28 and weighs six pounds and 10 ounces, according to the post.
Last October, Flanagan announced that she was retiring from professional running and transitioning to a coaching role on the Bowerman Track Club, the Portland, Oregon-based professional running group of which she had been a part since 2009. A few months later, in March, Flanagan said in an interview with Women’s Running Strava’s 2024 Year in Sport report is here.
'I’m hopeful that something in 2020 will happen for us to actually start a family,' Flanagan told Women’s Running. 'It’s kind of out of our control, but I hope that our time will come and the right match will happen.'
Growing her family has been a goal of Flanagan’s for a while. According to Team USA, the marathoner and her husband had previously fostered teenage sisters and began looking into adoption soon after.
'There’s such a need and my heart goes out to these kids. I feel like Steve and I are in such a fortunate position to be able to give kids care and a home,' Flanagan told Women’s Running in 2019. 'We may adopt an infant. We may adopt toddlers. We don’t know, but we’re putting ourselves in a position for whatever kids are in need.'
She continued, 'It’s scary but exciting. It’s a totally different life, but it’ll be fun.'
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