Marie Murphy-Rollins competed in the women’s marathon at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, finishing 57th. She was part of Ireland’s four-woman athletics team at Seoul and one of two Irish women who competed in the marathon, alongside Ailish Smyth.

In advance of the Games, Murphy-Rollins relocated to California and achieved her personal best time of 2.37.55 through winning the Las Vegas marathon in February 1988.