Zaripova Continues Steeple Hot Streak!


In the second Olympic women's steeplechase, Russian Yuliya Zaripova the 2011 World Champion established the race from the gun, leading the pack to a 9:06 finish for her first Olympic Gold medal.  Nobody could touch her as she nailed the final water jjump and took off down the homestretch running away from the pack of five in the final lap. She was followed by Habiba Ghribi of Tunisia in a 9:08 for silver, her first steeplechase Olympic medal! Bronze was a battle to the finish between Ethiopian Sofia Assefa and Milcah Cheywa, but Assefa would emerge with the podium spot in 9:09.84. American Emma Coburn ran a personal best of 9:23.54 for a 9th place finish while Bridget Franek finished 14th in 9:45.51. 

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Women's Steeple Final Rolling

Live Updates:
1:55 for the pack with six laps to go. Russians, Kenyans, and Ethiopians leading the charge.

3:06 for 1k, Russia's Zaripova leading and Kenyans trailing her.

Zaripova leads the pack at 4:2 with four laps to go!

Russian Zaripova in the mix of the lead pack with Kenyans and Ethiopians, giving them a run for their money. The lead pack has broken away with no Americans in sight.  Down to five with a lap to go!

Zaripova owned the last 200 meters as she took the gold in a 9:06.72 after leading tthe majority of the race. Her last 6k was run in a blazing 2:55 last k! She earned it as no one could touch her coming off of the final turn!


Women's Steeple World Record in Danger?

Current steeple world record holder, Gulnara Galkina of Russia.

The women's steeple final is set to go this evening with two Americans in the mix, Emma Coburn and Bridget Franek. Coburn looked comfortable in the opening round running near her PB of 9:25, which makes you think she should have a great shot to run under 9:20 if the pace is right....but it doesn't look like that will be enough.

The women's steeple is deep up front. Heading into the Games there have been four women who have run under 9:10, fastest being 9:07. Whats the significance you ask? Why would we suggest the World Record will go down? Lets take a look at the years from 2008 (when the record was set in Beijing) through present day 2012. There has been no year that surpasses 2012 with the number of women to have run under 9:10 heading into the Games or any global championship:

2008 - Russian Gulnara Galkina (current world record holder) was the only women to run under, ran 9:08.21 then went on to break the World record in Beijing in 8:58.81. Two other woman broke 9:10 at the Olympics, Kertich (KEN) and Volkova (RUS).
2009 - Before the Berlin World Champs only Spain's Marta Dominguez ran under with a 9:09.39. She went on to win the World Championships while leading two others under 9:10, Zaripova (RUS) 9:08.39 and Cheywa (KEN) 9:08.57. Galkina was fourth in 9:11.09.....and side note, Jenny Simpson was 5th in 9:12.50.
2010 - No major championships took place and no women broke 9:10. Only Kenyans Cheywa (9:11.71) and Kipkemoi (9:13.22) ran under 9:15.
2011 - Before Daegu, no women ran under 9:10. The fastest time entering the Championships was Kenya's Cheywa in 9:12.89, she went on to finish 3rd in Daegu running 9:17.88. Russia's Zaripova went on to win the World title in 9:07.03, but only had run 9:23.82 going into the Championships.
2012 - Four women under 9:10--> Cheywa (KEN) 9:07.14, Assefa (ETH) 9:09.00, Ayalew (ETH) 9:09.61. Zaripova (RUS) 9:09.99. World record holder Galkina (RUS) has only run 9:24.60 and did not look good in the semis.

With the women's steeple just becoming a contested event in 2002, it is good to note that no women other than Galkina had broken 9:10 until 2007. Similar to 2010, in 2002, 2005 and 2006 there was no women under 9:10 (three of those four years had no global championships).

What this all means is that the depth of the women's steeplechase is further along than its ever been. There has never been a championship with four women of sub 9:10 caliber going at it and pushing each other towards a global title. With this factor in play, the world record of 8:58 is most certainly in jeopardy. The sad thing is that the woman who has led the charge for most of the event's existence (Galkina, 2x Olympic Champ) may not even factor into the equation.

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COBURN & FRANEK THRU TO STEEPLE FINAL
Qual. rule: first 4 of each heat (Q) plus the 3 fastest times (q) qualified
FULL RESULTS

Heat 1: Gesa Krause of Germany came in ranked #7 in her heat based on her 9:33 season bests, but Krause ran a 7 second PR with a 9:24.91 to win the section. Diro (Ethiopia) followed Krause through the last 100 meters while Cheywa (Kenya, 9:07 this season) and Jelizarova (Latvia) battled for the final two auto spots. World Record holder Gulnara Galkina of Russia, the 2008 Olympic Champ, looked flat in the last lap finishing 5th in 9:28.76. Barbara Parker of Great Britain (FSU grad) also sits on the bubble in 6th with a time of 9:32.02. Shalaya Kipp of the USA was off the main race early finishing back in 12th in her first Olympic Games (9:48.33). Aussie Genevive Lacaze set nearly a 4 second PR on her birthday running 9:37.90. Splits at 1k (3:08.77) and 2k (6:22.09) were both led by Galkina.

Next 3 In On Time --> Galkina (RUS) 9:28.76, Parker (GB) 9:32.07, Li (CHN) 9:34.29


Heat 2: USA's Emma Coburn comfortably leading after Cruz of Portugal falls a little after 1k. Corburn gets pasted by Tunisian Habiba Ghribi and Ethiopian Sofia Assefa with 400 meters to go while Cruz battled for the 4th spot after the spill. Assefa finished strong pulling away for the win in 9:25.42. Ghribi and Coburn finished a close 2-3 in 9:27.42 and 9:27.51 respectively. Dominguez of Spain grabbed the last qualifying spot in 9:29.71. Splits at 1k (3:09.56) and 2k (6:21.03) were both led by Coburn.

Next 3 In On Time --> Galkina (RUS) 9:28.76, Cruz (POR) 9:30.06, Parker (GB) 9:32.07


Heat 3: With one to go, Bridget Franek sits tight in 5th with the leaders at 8:16. Ethiopa shows up again with Hiwot Ayalew running away from the field in 9:24.01. Ethiopia will be the only country in the women's steeple with all three thru in the finals. Russia, Kenya, Germany and United States will all have two athletes as Yuliya Zaripova, Mercy Njoroge, Antje Moldner-Schmidt and Bridget Franek finished 2nd through 5th respectively. Franek grabbed the only time qualifying spot out of section 3 (only .33 off her PR). Barbara Parker was knocked out with Franek's qualification.

Final 3 In on Time --> Galkina (RUS) 9:28.76, Franek (USA) 9:29.86, Cruz (POR) 9:30.06

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last updated: July 21st at 6:05pm CT

Women's Steeplechase Quick Hits
2012 London Olympic Games


Steeplechase Schedule:
Day 2, Aug 4th - Round 1 (5:35pm CT)
Day 4, Aug 6th - Final (3:05pm CT)

Steeplechase Records:
World Record - 8:58.81 - Gulnara Samitova-Galkina (Russia) 8/17/2008
Olympic Record - 8:58.81 - Gulnara Samitova-Galkina (Russia) 8/17/2008
American Record - 9:12.50 - Jennifer Barringer 8/17/2009

The Favorites: (personal best/season best)
1. Milcah Chemos Cheywa, Kenya (9:07.14/9:07.14) - Bronze medalist at 2011 World Championships
2. Sofia Assefa, Ethiopia (9:09.00/9:09.00) - 6th place finish at 2011 World Championships
3. Hiwot Ayalew, Ethiopia (9:09.61/9:09.61) - 11th place finish at 2011 World Cross Country Championships

The Americans:
1. Emma Coburn (9:25.28/9:25.28) - 12th place at 2011 World Championships
2. Bridget Franek (9:29.53/9:29.53) - First Olympic Games, competed at World Championships in 2009 and 2011
3. Shalaya Kipp (9:35.73/9:35.73) - First Olympic Games

Past Steeplechase Olympic Results: (from wiki)

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