Gulnara Galkina sets an Olympic record in the first heat of the women's 3000m steepplechase (© Getty Images)
History was made at 20:25 this evening, when the gun sounded the start of the Olympic debut in the women’s 3000m steeplechase. Fittingly, the first Olympic record setter, unofficially ** anyway, was Russian Gulnara Galkina-Samitova, the event’s World record holder since 2004.
Dominating the field from the outset – she led by nearly six seconds at the bell – the Russian’s race was but a time trial with none either capable or willing to challenge, seemingly content to fight for the three remaining automatic qualifying spots. She crossed the line in 9:15.17, a performance that only one woman other than Galkina-Samitova has surpassed this season.
“I think I performed well,” Galkina-Samitova understated. During the final lap I saw the other runners on the screen and they were far behind, so I slowed down.” All-time, only four women have ever run faster.
Ilustrating phenomenal form this season, Samitova-Galkina lowered her career best to 14:33.13 in the 5000m in July, and more recently ran 4:03.31 for 1500m. Under the right conditions, she could very well challenge her 9:01.59 World record, as well as the event’s nine-minute barrier in Sunday’s final.
Behind her Ruth Bosibori, the World junior record holder, finished a distant second in a season’s best 9:19.88 ahead of Pole Wioletta Frankiewicz (9:21.88). Romanian Cristina Casandra (9:22.38) and Habiba Ghribi (9:25.50) of Tunisia each produced national records and advanced as well.
Just missing the cut was 21-year-old Yanmei Zhu of China, who finished seventh in 9:29.63, knocking nearly three seconds from her PB in front an appreciative near capacity crowd.
The second heat, won by World and European silver medallist Tatiana Petrova, indicated that a Russian sweep in the event, is a distinct possibility. Petrova ran comfortably much of it from the front, to take the close race in 9:28.85, ahead of Irishwoman Roisin McGettigan’s 9:28.92 season’s best. American champion and record holder Jenny Barringer was third (9:29.20) with Spaniard Zulema Fuentes-Pila (9:29.40) moving on as well.
Summing up the sensational atmosphere on the opening night of competition, Barringer said, “It’s phenomenal. The stadium is exciting and the flame, it sets you on fire.”
The major casualty was Kenyan Veronica Wanjiru who never regrouped from a picturesque pile up in the water pit early on.
Kenyan Eunice Jepkorir, the bronze medallist in Osaka last year, took the final heat in 9:21.31, pulling Spaniard Marta Dominguez (9:22.11) and reigning World champion Katerina Volkova (9:23.06) along to automatic qualifers. Ethiopian Zemzem Ahmed improved her career best to 9:25.63 to move on by right, while Italy’s Elena Romagnolo (9:227.48, NR), and American Anna Willard (9:28.52) moving on to Sunday’s final.
In all six national records were set.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
* Only the best performance from the entire competition will be recognized as an Olympic record.
