Vancouver’s Ceili McCabe punches ticket to Paris Olympics in 3,000m steeplechase
McCabe is heading to her first Olympic Games
Photo by:
Sean Burges/Mundo Sport Images
Thursday evening at the Bell Track and Field Trials saw 22-year-old Ceili McCabe handily take the win in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase event, finishing with an extra large airplane ticket to Paris waiting for her at the finish line. This will be her first Olympic Games.
Just over nine seconds behind her, Regan Yee outsprinted Grace Fetherstonhaugh and Jessica Furlan to take second place, after tripping on the water jump around six and a half minutes into the race.
McCabe, who set the Canadian record for the 3,000m steeplechase earlier this year at the LA Grand Prix, finished in 9:32.97 after spending the first laps of the race with a small group. With two laps to go, she separated herself from the group with a smooth acceleration, and powered away to the finish.
“I am happy to have it set in stone,” McCabe told Canadian Running post-race. “Last year at Worlds, I was close to getting into the final–that’s the biggest goal for me now (in Paris).”
Ceili McCabe’s @Paris2024 goal?
Be in that steeplechase FINAL!
“I know I can run in the realm with the other (world class) athletes.”#ACTrials24 pic.twitter.com/eCWDOnbGyu
— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) June 28, 2024
Desgagnés wins men’s steeple title
In the men’s 3,000m steeplechase, Quebec’s Jean-Simon Desgagnés put on a show in front of his friends and family, winning the Canadian title on Thursday night in Montreal in a time of 8:34.56.
Desgagnés does not have the event standard of eight minutes and 15 seconds, but sits well inside the World Athletics selection quota to be selected by Team Canada next week.
For full results from the 2024 Canadian Track and Field Championships, check here.
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