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2008 Olympic Women's 3,000m Steeple Final: Samitova-Galkina Improves Her WR
by: LetsRun.com

This final started fast from the gun as Russia's Gulnara Samitova-Galkina, who came into the race with both the fastest personal best (9:01.59 world record from 2004) and seasonal best (9:11.18), apparently decided she would simply try to outrun everyone from the get-go. Just 1.5 laps into the race, only four were still in contact with Samitova-Galkina.

Soon it would become a one-person race for the record books. With 3 laps to go, Samitova-Galkina was up by more than 10 meters and the lead would only get bigger. Bound to make history as the first Olympic Champion in the event, the question turned to whether she would break her own world record.

A 69.54 last lap would give her not only the all-time best but also the first sub-9:00 time in the annals of women's steepling. A visibly excited Samitova-Galkina had run herself to a pioneer performance on more than one front. Behind her, there was a very spirited battle over the final lap for the runner-up spot.

Kenya's Eunice Jepkorir, who had tried to go with hot early pace, would end up with the much-deserved silver as she came back on 2007 World Champion Yekaterina Volkova of Russia in the final 50 meters. Jekpkorir's 9:07.41 was a new Kenyan and African record. 

Farther back, Americans Jenny Barringer and Anna Willard were waging another close tussle for top American honors. Willard had won USAs, then Barringer got revenge and a new American record in Germany. This seemingly was the final set. Barringer ran just ahead of Willard for most of the race and in the end would wind up 9th in a new American record of 9:22.26, 0.47 better than the 9:22.73 she ran in Europe. Willard ended up 10th in 9:25.63.

3000 Metres Steeplechase - W  Final
17 August 2008 - 21:30
Position Athlete Country Mark .
1 Gulnara Samitova-Galkina RUS 8:58.81 (WR)
2 Eunice Jepkorir KEN 9:07.41 (AR)
3 Yekaterina Volkova RUS 9:07.64 (SB)
4 Tatyana Petrova RUS 9:12.33 (SB)
5 Cristina Casandra ROU 9:16.85 (NR)
6 Ruth Bisibori Nyangau KEN 9:17.35 (PB)
7 Zemzem Ahmed ETH 9:17.85 (NR)
8 Wioletta Frankiewicz POL 9:21.76 (SB)
9 Jennifer Barringer USA 9:22.26 (AR)
10 Anna Willard USA 9:25.63 .
11 Elena Romagnolo ITA 9:30.04 .
12 Zulema Fuentes-Pila ESP 9:35.16 .
13 Habiba Ghribi TUN 9:36.43 .
14 Roisin McGettigan IRL 9:55.89 .
. Marta Domínguez ESP DNF .
Intermediate Bib Athlete nat Mark
1000m
Gulnara Samitova-Galkina RUS 2:58.63
2000m
Gulnara Samitova-Galkina RUS 6:01.20

 

  

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