2016 U.S. Olympic Team TrialsJul 7, 2016 by Dennis Young
Women's Olympic Trials Steeplechase Final: Quick Takes and Picks
Women's Olympic Trials Steeplechase Final: Quick Takes and Picks
Quick preview of tonight's Olympic Trials women's steeplechase
The final is tonight at 7:48 PM Pacific time (10:48 PM Eastern). Here's the full list of qualifiers.
Allie: My money is on Emma Coburn, Leah O'Connor and Courtney Frerichs. Coburn dominated her prelim on Monday and barely looked like she broke a sweat. After she set the American Record (9:10.76) this spring, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find another competitor in the field who is approaching this race with more fitness. Leah will be in the top three because her move to the front and eventual win in her prelim was strong and steady and I think she's ready to improve on the 9:18 PB she ran just behind Emma in May. Then there is Frerichs who set the NCAA record in a final all by herself. I think she's a fighter and will run even tougher if she's battling someone for a spot down the home stretch. However, this field is so packed that I wouldn't be surprised if Quigley, Rolland, Franek, or Higginson were in the mix for the front pack with 400m to go. Behind Coburn, it's anyone's game.
Meg: Emma Coburn will not lose. She was 8 seconds ahead of Leah O'Connor, the third-fastest American all-time, en route to setting the American record at Pre. And she just looks so damn in control every race. Her 2015 SB of 9:15 came from the U.S. final, where she was again 8 seconds ahead of the next finisher.
After Coburn, it's going to be tough. First year pro O'Connor looked smooth alongside Stephanie Garcia in the prelim and has significantly less races under her belt this year compared to her NCAA-heavy season in 2015. Garcia was a solid #2 last year and finished ninth in the world championship final. Her season opener in Stockholm (9:35) was underwhelming, so making this team would be huge.
NCAA record-holder Courtney Frerichs has been flawless this season and raced minimally in a New Mexico uniform to prepare for this race.
I'd be silly to leave out former law student Ashley Higginson and world championship finalist Colleen Quigley. Higginson was only 11th in 9:33 at Pre, but bounced back to break 9:30 at a meet at Princeton. She set PBs in the mile and 1500m this outdoor season, so the wheels are as good as ever. Quigley made her season debut with a 1500m victory at Stumptown Twilight and looked fit in the steeple prelim, her first since the world championship final. Bouncing back from an injury is hard, so Quigley making the team would be an extremely impressive feat.
Dennis: Only one thing has changed since I wrote the event preview: Emily Infeld proved that women coached by Jerry Schumacher can be extremely fit even coming off stress fractures. So I'm changing my opinion about Quigley and slotting her ahead of Frerichs, Higginson, and Garcia. Though three of us picked Garcia to get sixth and none of us picked Higginson to make the team, they're both serious contenders to make it. I think Coburn and O'Connor have a lock on the first two spots, and then the other four--Quigley, Frerichs, Higginson, and Garcia--have roughly equal chances to qualify for Rio.
Allie: My money is on Emma Coburn, Leah O'Connor and Courtney Frerichs. Coburn dominated her prelim on Monday and barely looked like she broke a sweat. After she set the American Record (9:10.76) this spring, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find another competitor in the field who is approaching this race with more fitness. Leah will be in the top three because her move to the front and eventual win in her prelim was strong and steady and I think she's ready to improve on the 9:18 PB she ran just behind Emma in May. Then there is Frerichs who set the NCAA record in a final all by herself. I think she's a fighter and will run even tougher if she's battling someone for a spot down the home stretch. However, this field is so packed that I wouldn't be surprised if Quigley, Rolland, Franek, or Higginson were in the mix for the front pack with 400m to go. Behind Coburn, it's anyone's game.
Meg: Emma Coburn will not lose. She was 8 seconds ahead of Leah O'Connor, the third-fastest American all-time, en route to setting the American record at Pre. And she just looks so damn in control every race. Her 2015 SB of 9:15 came from the U.S. final, where she was again 8 seconds ahead of the next finisher.
After Coburn, it's going to be tough. First year pro O'Connor looked smooth alongside Stephanie Garcia in the prelim and has significantly less races under her belt this year compared to her NCAA-heavy season in 2015. Garcia was a solid #2 last year and finished ninth in the world championship final. Her season opener in Stockholm (9:35) was underwhelming, so making this team would be huge.
NCAA record-holder Courtney Frerichs has been flawless this season and raced minimally in a New Mexico uniform to prepare for this race.
I'd be silly to leave out former law student Ashley Higginson and world championship finalist Colleen Quigley. Higginson was only 11th in 9:33 at Pre, but bounced back to break 9:30 at a meet at Princeton. She set PBs in the mile and 1500m this outdoor season, so the wheels are as good as ever. Quigley made her season debut with a 1500m victory at Stumptown Twilight and looked fit in the steeple prelim, her first since the world championship final. Bouncing back from an injury is hard, so Quigley making the team would be an extremely impressive feat.
Dennis: Only one thing has changed since I wrote the event preview: Emily Infeld proved that women coached by Jerry Schumacher can be extremely fit even coming off stress fractures. So I'm changing my opinion about Quigley and slotting her ahead of Frerichs, Higginson, and Garcia. Though three of us picked Garcia to get sixth and none of us picked Higginson to make the team, they're both serious contenders to make it. I think Coburn and O'Connor have a lock on the first two spots, and then the other four--Quigley, Frerichs, Higginson, and Garcia--have roughly equal chances to qualify for Rio.
GORDON | ALLIE | MEG | DENNIS |
---|---|---|---|
Emma Coburn | Emma Coburn | Emma Coburn | Emma Coburn |
Stephanie Garcia | Leah O'Connor | Leah O'Connor | Leah O'Connor |
Leah O'Connor | Courtney Frerichs | Courtney Frerichs | Colleen Quigley |
Colleen Quigley | Colleen Quigley | Ashley Higginson | Courtney Frerichs |
Courtney Frerichs | Megan Rolland | Colleen Quigley | Ashley Higginson |
Ashley Higginson | Stephanie Garcia | Stephanie Garcia | Stephanie Garcia |
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