Good Day to be a Steepler at Hayward Field

Emma Coburn of Colorado had redshirted her outdoor track season and it certainly paid off yesterday at Hayward Field in the Women’s 3000m Steeplechase Final.  She ran her 2^nd fastest time to win.  The drama centered on the woman who was in 3^rd as she entered her final few laps.  Shalaya Kipp is Coburn’s teammate at Colorado.  She was running ahead of the Olympic “A” standard pace in 3^rd place.  Could she hang for 3^rd and gain the “A” standard?  As they entered the final water jump, both 2^nd place runner Bridget Franek and Kipp had their eyes forward and were running strong.

Kipp kept pushing and was closing ever so slightly on Franek.  Both women pressed hard over the final barriers and sprinted for the finish.  Both beat the A Standard and joined Emma Coburn as the Steeplechasers headed to London for Team US.