Barringer breaks U.S. record
By Parker Morse, Running USA wire
BEIJING, China - (August 17, 2008) - Steeplechase world record holder Gulnara Samitova-Galkina was a non-factor in last summer's World Championship in Osaka, but the Russian was a force of nature in the first Olympic women's 3000 meter steeplechase, held Sunday night in Beijing's National Stadium aka "The Bird's Nest".
Samitova-Galkina, 30, separated from a pack of five after a first 1000 meters under world record pace (2:58.63), the pack spreading wide in the very first laps. Her middle kilometer was slower, putting her at 6:01.20, but she poured on the speed in the remaining distance to run the first-ever sub-9:00 steeplechase for women, a stunning 8:58.81.
With Samitova-Galkina unstoppable in the front, it was Kenyans and Russians dueling for the lesser medals. Russia's Tatyana Petrova and Kenya's Eunice Jepkorir appeared to be the leading contenders, but in the closing laps Spain's Marta Dominguez pulled Yekaterina Volkova with her as she made a charge at the medals. Dominguez came to grief in a crash on the 33rd barrier, standing again only on her second attempt, but Volkova caught the flagging Petrova and dueled with Jepkorir down the homestretch. Jepkorir prevailed, 9:07.41 to 9:07.64, with that pair taking silver and bronze.
Deeper in the pack, U.S. record holder Jenny Barringer was in the mix throughout, finishing strongly in 9th to improve her AR to 9:22.26, while Trials champion Anna Willard was 10th (9:25.63).
"I wanted to get an American record in Eugene, but it was much better here in the Olympics, the first steeplechase final for women, with all the USA fans cheering for me," said Barringer.
After Samitova-Galkina's WR, Jepkorir set a new African record, and both Romania and Ethiopia also got new national records: Cristina Casandra of Romania, a former WR holder herself, ran 9:16.85 for fifth, and Ethiopia's Zemzem Ahmed ran 9:17.85 for 7th.
Olympic Games: Beijing
National Stadium / "Bird's Nest"
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Women's 3000m Steeplechase Final
1) Gulnara Samitova-Galkina (RUS), 8:58.81*, Gold
2) Eunice Jepkorir (KEN), 9:07.41, Silver
3) Yekaterina Volkova (RUS), 9:07.64, Bronze
4) Tatyana Petrova (RUS), 9:12.33
5) Cristina Casandra (ROU), 9:16.85
6) Ruth Bisibori Nyangau (KEN), 9:17.35
7) Zemzem Ahmed (ETH), 9:17.85
8) Wioletta Frankiewicz (POL), 9:21.76
9) Jenny Barringer (USA), 9:22.26#
10) Anna Willard (USA), 9:25.63
*World record (previous record, 9:01.59,
Gulnara Samitova-Galkina (RUS), 07/04/04); debut Olympic event
#U.S. record (previous record, 9:22.73, Jenny Barringer, 07/20/08)
Complete results, starts lists, daily schedule and more at: IAAF.org.
Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director
(805) 696-6232; Fax = (805) 659-0016
Ryan@RunningUSA.org
www.RunningUSA.org.
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