Geneviève Lalonde runs the race of her life at Olympics, sets Canadian record

?CANADIAN RECORD ALERT?@lalongen runs 9:30.24 in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase! Qualifies for the finals pic.twitter.com/76ppiMBSNL

— CanadianRunning (@CanadianRunning) August 13, 2016

Canadian Geneviève Lalonde had her best race ever at the Rio Olympics on Saturday morning to qualify for the women’s 3,000m steeplechase finals. Lalonde, a native of Moncton, lowered her own Canadian record by two seconds running 9:30.24.

The 24-year-old held the previous Canadian mark in the women’s steeplechase of 9:32.17, set earlier this year in Oregon. The steeplechase is a long-distance race where athletes hurdle four barriers per lap and clear a water pit.

“I gave my boyfriend tickets to this [race] for his birthday, the Canadian record and advancing is bonus,” Lalonde said after the race.

Epic race by @lalongen with new NR and making final. @rjohare cleaning up small spike wound = Olympic souvenir pic.twitter.com/7gEz0btQTc

— Trent Stellingwerff (@TStellingwerff) August 13, 2016

RELATED: Full background on the steeplechase at the Olympics.

Lalonde was in the third of three heats in the preliminaries of the steeplechase. She needed to finish in the top-three or run around 9:30 to ensure her spot in the Olympic final. She came through with an absolutely clutch performance to finish fourth in her race and advance based on time. She will run in the Olympic final on Monday at 10:15 a.m. EDT.

Lalonde’s finish

Geneviève Lalonde set a #CAN record in steeplechase at #Rio2016 #Athletics https://t.co/W398a6pGln https://t.co/bMrGOF64t9

— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) August 13, 2016

ICYMI | Geneviève Lalonde qualifies for the final in women’s 3,000m steeplechase with a #CAN record at #Rio2016. https://t.co/XCioUC66fJ

— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) August 13, 2016

Lalonde is based in Guelph, Ont. and trains with the Speed River Track Club. She spent three months in the Canadian Arctic in the latter part of 2015 as part of her masters program at the University of Guelph. Lalonde got plenty of support from her hometown community as fans gathered to watch her race in a public viewing party.

Going wild in Moncton Cheering @lalongen ! Hope she can hear us in Rio! pic.twitter.com/QFoMMd3u1n

— ANB (@AthNB) August 13, 2016

RELATED: Among the polar bears half-a-world away: Geneviève Lalonde’s Olympic journey.

Midway through the race, Ethiopian Etenesh Diro lost her shoe after taking a fall. She attempted to put the shoe back on but continued on in the race instead much to the crowd’s delight. She did not recover enough to initially qualify but she was awarded a spot in the finals after making an appeal.

Steeplechase fall

This #ETH runner is doing whatever she can – even if it means running with 1 shoe! #Rio2016 https://t.co/W398a6pGln https://t.co/nklPf6fcvO

— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) August 13, 2016

Two other Canadians were in the two previous heats in the preliminary round. Erin Teschuk finished 16th (heat one) in 9:53.70 and Maria Bernard finished 13th (heat two) in 9:50.17.

Results

POS	RANK	HEAT	BIB	ATHLETE	COUNTRY	RESULTS
1	1	1	451	Ruth JEBET	BRN	9:12.62 Q
2	1	2	943	Beatrice CHEPKOECH	KEN	9:17.55 Q
3	2	2	1331	Emma COBURN	USA	9:18.12 Q
4	3	2	1254	Habiba GHRIBI	TUN	9:18.71 Q SB
5	2	1	638	Sofia ASSEFA	ETH	9:18.75 Q
6	3	1	760	Gesa Felicitas KRAUSE	GER	9:19.70 Q
7	4	2	826	Lalita Shivaji BABAR	IND	9:19.76 q NR
8	4	1	1367	Colleen QUIGLEY	USA	9:21.82 q
9	5	2	325	Madeline HEINER HILLS	AUS	9:24.16 q SB
10	1	3	947	Hyvin Kiyeng JEPKEMOI	KEN	9:24.61 Q
11	2	3	329	Genevieve LACAZE	AUS	9:26.25 Q
12	3	3	1342	Courtney FRERICHS	USA	9:27.02 Q
13	5	1	955	Lydia Chebet ROTICH	KEN	9:30.21 q
14	4	3	481	Geneviève LALONDE	CAN	9:30.24 q NR
15	6	2	1212	Fabienne SCHLUMPF	SUI	9:30.54 q NR
16	6	1	1306	Mariya SHATALOVA	UKR	9:30.89 PB
17	7	1	1270	Peruth CHEMUTAI	UGA	9:31.03 PB
18	8	1	1224	Charlotta FOUGBERG	SWE	9:31.16
19	5	3	536	Xinyan ZHANG	CHN	9:31.47
20	9	1	1262	Özlem KAYA	TUR	9:32.03 SB
21	6	3	602	Anna Emilie MØLLER	DEN	9:32.68 NR
22	10	1	394	Sviatlana KUDZELICH	BLR	9:32.93 SB
23	11	1	998	Fadwa SIDI MADANE	MAR	9:32.94 SB
24	7	3	646	Etenesh DIRO	ETH	9:34.70 q
25	7	2	640	Hiwot AYALEW	ETH	9:35.09
26	8	2	1107	Matylda KOWAL	POL	9:35.13 PB
27	9	2	759	Sanaa KOUBAA	GER	9:35.15 PB
28	8	3	897	Aisha PRAUGHT	JAM	9:35.79 q
29	10	2	333	Victoria MITCHELL	AUS	9:39.40 SB
30	9	3	837	Sudha SINGH	IND	9:43.29
31	12	1	627	Diana MARTÍN	ESP	9:44.07
32	10	3	995	Salima ELOUALI ALAMI	MAR	9:44.83
33	13	1	1071	Ingeborg LØVNES	NOR	9:44.85
34	14	1	846	Kerry O’FLAHERTY	IRL	9:45.35 SB
35	11	3	991	Eliane SAHOLINIRINA	MAD	9:45.92
36	15	1	423	Juliana Paula DOS SANTOS	BRA	9:45.95
37	12	3	848	Sara Louise TREACY	IRL	9:46.24 q
38	13	3	1151	Ancuta BOBOCEL	ROU	9:46.28
39	11	2	842	Michelle FINN	IRL	9:49.45
40	12	2	449	Tigest GETENT	BRN	9:49.92
41	14	3	1260	Tugba GÜVENC	TUR	9:49.93 SB
42	13	2	466	Maria BERNARD	CAN	9:50.17
43	14	2	1255	Meryem AKDAG	TUR	9:50.28
44	15	3	773	Maya REHBERG	GER	9:51.73
45	16	3	307	Belén CASETTA	ARG	9:51.85
46	16	1	496	Erin TESCHUK	CAN	9:53.70
47	15	2	655	Sandra ERIKSSON	FIN	9:56.77
48	16	2	301	Luiza GEGA	ALB	9:58.49
49	17	1	921	Anju TAKAMIZAWA	JPN	9:58.59
50	17	2	399	Anastasiya PUZAKOVA	BLR	10:14.08
51	17	3	727	Lennie WAITE	GBR	10:14.18
52	18	2	303	Amina BETTICHE	ALG	10:26.91