Geneviève Lalonde caps record-setting Games, finishing 16th in steeplechase

Canada’s Geneviève Lalonde started training for her Olympic quest in one of the toughest places to run on Earth, the Canadian North. On Monday, a warm, sunny morning in Rio, Lalonde placed 16th overall in the 3,000m steeplchase final. Her strong run in 9:41 caps off a dream Olympics for the 24 year old, where she set a Canadian record of 9:30.24 in the qualifying round.

Kenyan-born Bahrainian athlete Ruth Jebet ran one of the most dominant and impressive races of the Games so far to win gold in the steeplechase. After a couple of laps, she increased the pace dramatically, surging to an unsurmountable lead over two Kenyans and American Emma Coburn.

Jebet increased her lead, finishing in 8:59.75, nearly breaking the world record in the process. Kenya’s Hyvin Jepkemoi held off a determined Coburn for silver. The American ran the race of her life, taking bronze in 9:07.63, a big personal best.

At just 24, Lalonde has already accumulated a great deal of international racing experience. The Moncton, N.B.-born runner will now lead a flourishing pool of Canadian steeplechase talent into next year’s IAAF World Championships in London.

POS	BIB	ATHLETE	COUNTRY	MARK
1	451	Ruth JEBET	BRN	8:59.75	AR
2	947	Hyvin Kiyeng JEPKEMOI	KEN	9:07.12
3	1331	Emma COBURN	USA	9:07.63	AR
4	943	Beatrice CHEPKOECH	KEN	9:16.05	PB
5	638	Sofia ASSEFA	ETH	9:17.15	SB
6	760	Gesa Felicitas KRAUSE	GER	9:18.41	NR
7	325	Madeline HEINER HILLS	AUS	9:20.38	PB
8	1367	Colleen QUIGLEY	USA	9:21.10	PB
9	329	Genevieve LACAZE	AUS	9:21.21	PB
10	826	Lalita Shivaji BABAR	IND	9:22.74
11	1342	Courtney FRERICHS	USA	9:22.87
12	1254	Habiba GHRIBI	TUN	9:28.75
13	955	Lydia Chebet ROTICH	KEN	9:29.90
14	897	Aisha PRAUGHT	JAM	9:34.20
15	646	Etenesh DIRO	ETH	9:38.77
16	481	Geneviève LALONDE	CAN	9:41.88
17	848	Sara Louise TREACY	IRL	9:52.70
18	1212	Fabienne SCHLUMPF	SUI	9:59.30