Matt Hughes smashes Canadian record in 3000m steeplechase

Canada’s Matt Hughes smashed the Canadian steeplechase record, finishing in 6th place at the world championships in a time of 8:11.64, breaking Graeme Fell’s previous mark set in 1985.  In 8th place with 1000m to go, Hughes kept pushing the pace and passing two others, finishing just behind American Evan Jager.

Hughes set a PB in the qualifier and said after the race that he felt like he had more in the tank. He was right about that, maintaining contact with the lead pack up the pace heated up in the final lap. The thrilling finish saw mohawk-sporting defending champ Kenyan Ezekiel Kemboi surge to victory ahead of younger compatriot Conseslus Kipruto.

Hughes ran a gutsy race to automatically assure his position in the final and then managed to dig even deeper in final itself.

Letsrun.com, amazed having two Canadians in the final, had called Canada an “overnight steeple power,” and the latest result by Hughes only solidifies that assessment.