EUGENE, Ore. — With its 28 barriers, seven water jumps and countless opportunities for disaster, the steeplechase needs no added degree of difficulty. Yet it found an extra layer in the rain, which came here to Hayward Field in the early evening Thursday and continued unabated through the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase final at the U.S. Olympic trials.
Not that the rain really matters, in the grand scheme of things. The seven laps through the circuit are punctuated by ankle-deep steps through those water hazards, after all, so it’s impossible to finish the steeplechase dry in any weather conditions.
And don’t forget: Whether rain or shine, Emma Coburn continues to lead the way for the USA in the event entering the Rio Games.
Coburn, a 25-year-old two-time Olympian, won the steeplechase with a time of 9:17.48, leading Courtney Frerichs (9:20.92) and Colleen Quigley (9:21.29) on the three-person U.S. delegate at the coming Olympics.
“I just told myself I was not going to finish in fourth today,” Frerichs said.
Quigley’s time set a new personal best, and comes after a year plagued by a lingering hamstring injury.
“I knew I was going to have to do that,” she said of her time, “or I assumed I would have to do that — at least as fast as I’ve ever run or probably faster.”
Coburn, the American recordholder (9:10.76), has won the U.S. title in four of the past five years. She finished first the Olympic trials in 2012, becoming the youngest runner on the U.S. track and field team, and finished ninth in the event at the London Games after posting the third-best time during qualifying heats.
Yet that impressive time nonetheless speaks to the hurdles still ahead in Rio. When Coburn set her record in May at the Prefontaine Classic, she finished third in the race behind Ruth Jebet of Bahrain (8:59.97) and Hivyn Kiyeng of Kenya (9:00.01).
The steeplechase an event dominated by Ethiopia and Kenya, two countries that placed four of the top five finishers in London; the winner at those Games, Russia’s Yuliya Zaripova, later had her medal vacated following a doping ban.
“Our international competition is really good,” Coburn said. “There’s a few Kenyans, but there’s also a Tunisian, a German, a Bahraini … it’s all over the place.”
But what the U.S. team lacks in world leaders it makes up in depth, Coburn said, citing the number of runners who have clocked times at or below 9:25.
“We have just a really deep field of women,” she said. “Today proved that.”
Four years after her Summer Games debut, a more seasoned Coburn now serves as the undisputed flagbearer for the entire team, both in her time and Olympic experience.
“I’m 25 and I’m one of the older girls,” Coburn said, “so we have a talented young group of women who I think will continue to make world finals, Olympic finals, and continue to compete for medal in international competition.
“I don’t think these women need any lessons from me. Colleen has been in the world championships before and Courtney is the NCAA recordholder. I think as a group we kind of lift each other up and feed of each other’s confidence in the event.”
►World championships bronze medalist Michelle Carter earned her seventh U.S. title in the shot put with a throw of 64 feet, 3 1/4 inches. Carter will compete on her third Olympic team for the USA next month in Rio. Raven Saunders (63-1 1/2) and Felisha Johnson (63-1 1/4) will join Carter on the Olympic team. Tia Brooks, who was the No. 2 thrower in the world this season, finished fourth.
►The USA will send three women to the Olympics in the triple jump for the first time since 1996. Winner Keturah Orji (46-11 3/4), Christina Epps (46-6) and Andrea Geubelle (45-9 1/4) each have the Olympic qualifying standard.
►In the men's 200 meters, all the favorites advanced — including world leader LaShawn Merritt (already on the team in the 400), Justin Gatlin, Tyson Gay, Wallace Spearmon, Walter Dix and Ameer Webb — but the leaders in Round 1 were a couple of 18-year-olds who just finished high school, Noah Lyles (20.04) from Alexandria, Va., and Michael Norman (20.06) of Murrieta, Calif..
►World champion and 2012 gold medalist Christian Taylor advanced easily in the triple jump, hitting the automatic qualifier on his first attempt (55-4 1/4). Matthew O'Neal (55-8 1/4) and Donald Scott (55-7 1/4) were the top two. London silver medalist Will Claye also advanced.
►Another high schooler, 16-year-old Sydney McLaughlin, was the No. 2 qualifier in the women's 400 hurdles (55.46). Dalilah Muhammad (55.33) and 2015 world championships silver medalist Shamier Little (55.83) also advanced easily.
►Johnny Dutch led qualifiers in the first round of the men's 400 hurdles (46.56). Bershawn Jackson, Kerron Clement and Eric Futch also advanced.
►In the men's 1,500, world indoor champion Matthew Centrowitz casually advanced, trailing along at the back of the pack before moving into position in the final straight. Leo Manzano and Robby Andrews also advanced.
►It was the same in the women's 1500 as top contenders Jenny Simpson, Shannon Robwbury, Morgan Uceny and Brenda Martinez, who fell in the final curve in the 800, all moved into Round 2.
