HARTLAND — Huddled around a laptop in a thunderstorm, dozens of family and friends cheered during a hometown watch party for Molly Seidel, who scored bronze in the Olympic marathon Friday night.
Molly Seidel is 27 years old and grew up in Nashota, near Hartland. Family says this Olympic race is her third marathon—ever.
Family and friends chanted Molly's name throughout the marathon. Her mother and father fist pumped and jumped for joy as she led the pack.
No one missed a second of her race except for when the big screen TV lost service, and they switched to a laptop for the last few miles.
Watch her family celebrate the victory:
Molly Seidel takes the bronze in the @NBCOlympics marathon and this is her family in Wisconsin, cheering around a laptop in the middle of a thunderstorm❤️🤍💙
— Stephanie Haines (@TMJ4Stephanie) August 6, 2021
Go #teamusa pic.twitter.com/LYM7WYy7ja
Family Facetimed with #MollySeidel moments after she scored bronze.
— Stephanie Haines (@TMJ4Stephanie) August 7, 2021
"Molly, you missed a great party!" someone shouts.
"Drink some water!" her dad adds. @NBCOlympics #TeamUSA pic.twitter.com/E2vqj3pF4x
Molly's parents and siblings say what they are feeling is indescribable.
"Never underestimate the power of Molly," her mother, Anne Seidel, said. "She is one tough cookie, she is one tough cookie. I can't even believe it. I was like, just get in the top 10. Just be the top American, I will be happy. This is unbelievable."
"Just to see that pack whittle down and her stay in it," Molly's father, Fritz Seidel, said. "That's her MO. She runs so tough."
Family and friends crowded around as they FaceTimed Molly moments after her race. Molly said she was tired, and everyone laughed.
Next her father says Molly wants to run the Boston and New York Marathons. She will hurry back to the United States because she runs another professional race in about a week.
