The basics of the always exciting 3,000m steeplechase at the Olympics

The men’s and women’s 3,000m steeplechase are two of the most exciting races to watch in track and field. The event, which involves hurdling four barriers per lap as well as clearing a water pit, has falls, big finishes and lots of “pain faces.” It will be no different at the Rio Olympics.

RELATED: Must watch athletics events featuring top Canadian contenders.

When

Women’s 3,000m steeplechase:
Prelims: 9:05 a.m. EDT – Aug. 13
Finals: 10:15 a.m. EDT – Aug. 15

Men’s 3,000m steeplechase:
Prelims: 9:25 a.m. – Aug. 15
Finals: 10:50 a.m. – Aug. 17

The basics

The steeplechase is one of the most unique races in athletics as it’s a long-distance race run over barriers and a water pit. Because the water pit is placed on the inner or outer edge of the track, athletes run more or less than the typical seven-and-a-half laps for the 3,000m.

There are 28 barriers and seven water jumps in the men’s and women’s 3,000m steeplechase.  Though the two disciplines have an equal amount of barriers, the hurdle height for the women is lower than that of the men’s race. The winning time for men is typically around 8:00 for men and 9:15 for women.

The event has historically been dominated by the Kenyans.

Athletes do not typically clear the water pit on each lap but rather take one step in the water while trying to continue their momentum forward. Special spikes are designed to filter out water. The added moisture on the track sometimes leads to some big falls and collisions with the hurdles making it exciting for even a non-running fan.

What going over the water pit looks like

Women’s 3000m steeplechase

A video posted by canadianrunning (@canadianrunning) on Jul 8, 2016 at 7:17pm PDT

The Canadians

A country is allowed three athletes per event and Athletics Canada sent a full six-person squad in the steeplechase. The contingent includes both the men’s and women’s Canadian record holders, Geneviève Lalonde and Matt Hughes, and the two national champions, Erin Teschuk and Taylor Milne.

The fact that Canada has a full team of six athletes bodes well for having at least one Canadian in the final of the event. For tomorrow’s women’s 3,000m steeplechase, Lalonde and Maria Bernard have the advantage of being in heat two and three. It’s an advantage because six athletes can get a spot in the final based solely on their time and not their place. Seeing what athletes run in previous races helps because athletes know how fast they need to run.

The top three from each of the three heats get an automatic spot into the final, regardless of their time. Runners are divided into three heats based on time so all three are relatively equal.

Hughes is the most likely of all six to make the final as he placed eighth at the 2015 world championships and won the Pan Am Games gold in the event. Milne represented Canada at the 2008 Olympics and Chris Winter will make his Olympic debut.

Footage from the 2015 world championships:

ORDER / LANE	BIB	ATHLETE	COUNTRY	SB 2016	PB
1	998	Fadwa SIDI MADANE	MAR	9:33.97	9:27.87
2	846	Kerry O’FLAHERTY	IRL	9:45.53	9:42.61
3	394	Sviatlana KUDZELICH	BLR	9:41.21	9:27.95
4	955	Lydia Chebet ROTICH	KEN	9:23.49	9:18.03
5	627	Diana MARTÍN	ESP	9:41.23	9:30.70
6	760	Gesa Felicitas KRAUSE	GER	9:18.85	9:18.85
7	921	Anju TAKAMIZAWA	JPN	9:44.22	9:44.22
8	1071	Ingeborg LØVNES	NOR	9:43.97	9:43.97
9	1262	Özlem KAYA	TUR	9:35.05	9:30.23
10	638	Sofia ASSEFA	ETH	9:18.16	9:09.00
11	1306	Mariya SHATALOVA	UKR	9:38.17	9:36.87
12	1367	Colleen QUIGLEY	USA	9:21.29	9:21.29
13	1224	Charlotta FOUGBERG	SWE	9:30.11	9:23.96
14	1270	Peruth CHEMUTAI	UGA	9:31.34	9:31.34
15	451	Ruth JEBET	BRN	8:59.97	8:59.97
16	496	Erin TESCHUK	CAN	9:48.65	9:40.07
17	423	Juliana Paula DOS SANTOS	BRA	9:38.63	9:38.63

ORDER / LANE	BIB	ATHLETE	COUNTRY	SB 2016	PB
1	449	Tigest GETENT	BRN	9:31.84	9:20.65
2	1331	Emma COBURN	USA	9:10.76	9:10.76
3	303	Amina BETTICHE	ALG	9:46.49	9:29.20
4	1107	Matylda KOWAL	POL	9:40.39	9:39.87
5	1254	Habiba GHRIBI	TUN	9:21.35	9:05.36
6	842	Michelle FINN	IRL	9:43.19	9:43.19
7	399	Anastasiya PUZAKOVA	BLR	9:42.91	9:42.91
8	759	Sanaa KOUBAA	GER	9:38.11	9:38.11
9	333	Victoria MITCHELL	AUS	9:47.48	9:30.84
10	655	Sandra ERIKSSON	FIN	9:31.88	9:24.70
11	325	Madeline HEINER HILLS	AUS	9:24.73	9:21.56
12	826	Lalita Shivaji BABAR	IND	9:27.09	9:27.09
13	1212	Fabienne SCHLUMPF	SUI	9:40.01	9:37.81
14	640	Hiwot AYALEW	ETH		9:09.61
15	301	Luiza GEGA	ALB	9:28.52	9:28.52
16	466	Maria BERNARD	CAN	9:44.81	9:44.81
17	943	Beatrice CHEPKOECH	KEN	9:17.41	9:17.41
18	1255	Meryem AKDAG	TUR	9:36.54	9:36.54

ORDER / LANE	BIB	ATHLETE	COUNTRY	SB 2016	PB
1	773	Maya REHBERG	GER	9:39.18	9:39.18
2	602	Anna Emilie MØLLER	DEN	9:41.43	9:41.43
3	837	Sudha SINGH	IND	9:26.55	9:26.55
4	995	Salima ELOUALI ALAMI	MAR		9:20.64
5	897	Aisha PRAUGHT	JAM	9:31.75	9:31.75
6	329	Genevieve LACAZE	AUS	9:23.19	9:23.19
7	1342	Courtney FRERICHS	USA	9:20.92	9:20.92
8	536	Xinyan ZHANG	CHN	9:28.54	9:28.54
9	727	Lennie WAITE	GBR	9:35.91	9:35.91
10	456	Silvia DÂNEKOVA	BUL	9:48.36	9:33.41
11	481	Geneviève LALONDE	CAN	9:32.17	9:32.17
12	1260	Tugba GÜVENC	TUR	9:59.65	9:33.34
13	947	Hyvin Kiyeng JEPKEMOI	KEN	9:00.01	9:00.01
14	646	Etenesh DIRO	ETH	9:16.87	9:14.07
15	848	Sara Louise TREACY	IRL	9:39.41	9:39.41
16	1151	Ancuta BOBOCEL	ROU	9:40.87	9:25.70
17	307	Belén CASETTA	ARG	9:42.93	9:42.93
18	991	Eliane SAHOLINIRINA	MAD	9:44.50	9:44.50

The men’s start list is not available as of 6:46 p.m. on Aug. 12. An updated list will appear for the men’s race as it becomes available.