The 3000 metres steeplechase or 3000-meter steeplechase (usually abbreviated as 3000m SC) is the most common distance for the steeplechase in track and field. It is an obstacle race over the distance of the 3000 metres, which derives its name from the horse racing steeplechase.
| Athletics 3000 metres steeplechase | |
|---|---|
.jpg) 3000 m steeplechase at Rio 2016 | |
| World records | |
| Men |  Lamecha Girma 7:52.11 (2023) |
| Women |  Beatrice Chepkoech 8:44.32 (2018) |
| Olympic records | |
| Men | Conseslus Kipruto 8:03.28 (2016) |
| Women |  Gulnara Galkina 8:58.81 (2008) |
| World Championship records | |
| Men | Ezekiel Kemboi 8:00.43 (2009) |
| Women |  Norah Jeruto 8:53.02 (2022) |
Rules
It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Athletics Championships; it is also an event recognized by World Athletics.[1] The obstacles for the men are 36 inches (91.4 cm) high, and for the women 30 inches (76.2 cm).
The water jump consists of a barrier followed by a pit of water with a landing area defined as follows: The pit is 3.66 m (12 feet) square. The pit's forward-direction measurement starts from the approach edge of the barrier and ends at the point where the water jump slope reaches the flat surface of the steeple pathway. Rulebook language simply but clearly says "The water jump, including the hurdle, shall be 3.66 m in length." Pits have an upward slope; the water is deeper near the barrier and is within 2 cm of ground level at the departure end. That slope begins approximately 30 cm (12 in) forward of the barrier at which point the water is 70 cm (28 in) deep.
The length of the race is usually 3,000 metres (9,843 ft); junior and some masters events are 2,000 metres (6,562 ft), as women's events used to be. The circuit has four ordinary barriers and one water jump. During the course of the race, each runner must clear a total of 28 ordinary barriers and seven water jumps. This entails seven complete laps after starting with a fraction of a lap run without barriers. The water jump is located on the back turn, either inside the inner lane or outside the outer lane. If it is on the outside, then each of the seven laps is longer than the standard 400 m, and the starting point is on the home straight. If the water jump is on the inside, each lap is shorter than 400 m, the starting point is on the back straight, so the water jump and barrier in the home straight are bypassed in the first half lap at the start.
Unlike those used in hurdling, steeplechase barriers do not fall over if hit, and the rules allow an athlete to negotiate the barrier by any means, so many runners step on top of them. Four barriers are spaced around the track on level ground, and a fifth barrier at the top of the second turn (fourth barrier in a complete lap from the finish line) is the water jump. The slope of the water jump rewards runners with more jumping ability, because a longer jump results in a shallower landing in the water.
All-time top 25
Men
- Correct as of June 2023.[2]
| Ath.# | Perf.# | Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 7:52.11 | Lamecha Girma | Ethiopia | 9 June 2023 | Paris | [3] |
| 2 | 2 | 7:53.63 | Saif Saaeed Shaheen1 |  Qatar | 3 September 2004 | Brussels | |
| 3 | 3 | 7:53.64 | Brimin Kipruto | Kenya | 22 July 2011 | Monaco | [4] |
| 4 | 4 | 7:54.31 | Paul Kipsiele Koech | Kenya | 31 May 2012 | Rome | |
| 5 | 5 | 7:55.28 | Brahim Boulami |  Morocco | 24 August 2001 | Brussels | |
| 6 | 7:55.51 | Shaheen #2 | 26 August 2005 | Brussels | |||
| 6 | 7 | 7:55.72 | Bernard Barmasai | Kenya | 24 August 1997 | Cologne | |
| 7 | 8 | 7:55.76 | Ezekiel Kemboi | Kenya | 22 July 2011 | Monaco | |
| 8 | 9 | 7:56.16 | Moses Kiptanui | Kenya | 24 August 1997 | Cologne | |
| 10 | 7:56.32 | Shaheen #3 | 3 July 2006 | Athens | |||
| 11 | 7:56.34 | Shaheen #4 | 8 July 2005 | Rome | |||
| 12 | 7:56.37 | Koech #2 | 8 July 2005 | Rome | |||
| 13 | 7:56.54 | Shaheen #5 | 18 August 2006 | Zürich | |||
| 14 | 7:56.58 | Koech #3 | 11 May 2012 | Doha | |||
| 9 | 15 | 7:56.68 | Soufiane El Bakkali | Morocco | 28 May 2023 | Rabat | [5] |
| 10 | 16 | 7:56.81 | Richard Mateelong | Kenya | 11 May 2012 | Doha | |
| 17 | 7:56.94 | Shaheen #6 | 19 September 2004 | Monaco | |||
| 18 | 7:57.28 | Shaheen #7 | 14 June 2005 | Athens | |||
| 11 | 19 | 7:57.29 | Reuben Kosgei | Kenya | 24 August 2001 | Brussels | |
| 20 | 7:57.32 | Koech #4 | 22 July 2011 | Monaco | |||
| 21 | 7:57.38 | Shaheen #8 | 14 September 2003 | Monaco | |||
| 22 | 7:57.42 | Koech #5 | 14 September 2003 | Monaco | |||
| 23 | 7:58.09 | Boulami #2 | 19 July 2002 | Monaco | |||
| 24 | 7:58.10 | Shaheen #9 | 19 July 2002 | Monaco | |||
| 25 | 7:58.15 | El Bakkali #2 | 20 July 2018 | Monaco | [6] | ||
| 12 | 7:58.41 | Jairus Birech | Kenya | 5 September 2014 | Brussels | [7] | |
| 13 | 7:59.08 | Wilson Boit Kipketer | Kenya | 13 August 1997 | Zürich | ||
| 14 | 8:00.09 | Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad |  France | 6 July 2013 | Saint-Denis | [8] | |
| 15 | 8:00.12 | Conseslus Kipruto | Kenya | 5 June 2016 | Birmingham | [9] | |
| 16 | 8:00.45 | Evan Jager |  United States | 4 July 2015 | Saint-Denis | [10] | |
| 17 | 8:01.18 | Bouabdellah Tahri | France | 18 August 2009 | Berlin | [11] | |
| 18 | 8:01.67 | Abel Mutai | Kenya | 31 May 2012 | Rome | ||
| 19 | 8:01.69 | Kipkirui Misoi | Kenya | 24 August 2001 | Brussels | ||
| 20 | 8:03.41 | Patrick Sang | Kenya | 24 August 1997 | Cologne | ||
| 21 | 8:03.57 | Ali Ezzine | Morocco | 23 June 2000 | Saint-Denis | ||
| Hillary Yego | Kenya | 18 May 2013 | Shanghai | ||||
| 23 | 8:03.74 | Raymond Yator | Kenya | 18 August 2000 | Monaco | ||
| 24 | 8:03.81 | Benjamin Kiplagat |  Uganda | 7 July 2010 | Lausanne | [12] | |
| 25 | 8:03.89 | John Kosgei | Kenya | 16 August 1997 | Monaco |
Notes
1 Until 2002 he was known as Stephen Cherono, and represented Kenya.
Annulled marks
The following athletes had their performance (inside 7:55.00) annulled due to doping offences:
- Brahim Boulami 7:53.17 (Zürich 2002)
Women
- Correct as of June 2024.[13]
| Ath.# | Perf.# | Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 8:44.32 | Beatrice Chepkoech | Kenya | 20 July 2018 | Monaco | [14] |
| 2 | 2 | 8:50.66 | Winfred Yavi |  Bahrain | 16 September 2023 | Eugene | [15] |
| 3 | 8:51.67 | B. Chepkoech #2 | 16 September 2023 | Eugene | [15] | ||
| 3 | 4 | 8:52.78 | Ruth Jebet | Bahrain | 27 August 2016 | Saint-Denis | [16] |
| 4 | 5 | 8:53.02 | Norah Jeruto | Kazakhstan | 20 July 2022 | Eugene | [17] |
| 6 | 8:53.65 | Jeruto #2 | 21 August 2021 | Eugene | |||
| 7 | 8:54.29 | Yavi #2 | 27 August 2023 | Budapest | [18] | ||
| 5 | 8 | 8:54.61 | Werkuha Getachew | Ethiopia | 20 July 2022 | Eugene | [19] |
| 6 | 9 | 8:55.09 | Peruth Chemutai | Uganda | 25 May 2024 | Eugene | [20] |
| 10 | 8:55.10 | B. Chepkoech #3 | 31 August 2018 | Brussels | |||
| 11 | 8:55.29 | Jebet #2 | 24 August 2017 | Zürich | |||
| 12 | 8:55.58 | B. Chepkoech #4 | 30 June 2019 | Stanford | |||
| 7 | 13 | 8:56.08 | Mekides Abebe | Ethiopia | 20 July 2022 | Eugene | [21] |
| 14 | 8:56.55 | Yavi #3 | 18 June 2022 | Paris | [22] | ||
| 15 | 8:56.61 | B. Chepkoech #5 | 25 May 2024 | Eugene | [23] | ||
| 8 | 16 | 8:57.35 | Jackline Chepkoech | Kenya | 23 July 2023 | London | [24] |
| 9 | 17 | 8:57.77 | Courtney Frerichs | United States | 21 August 2021 | Eugene | [25] |
| 18 | 8:57.84 | B. Chepkoech #5 | 30 September 2019 | Doha | [26] | ||
| 19 | 8:57.97 | Jeruto #3 | 28 May 2022 | Eugene | |||
| 20 | 8:58.71 | Yavi #4 | 28 May 2022 | Eugene | |||
| 10 | 21 | 8:58.78 | Celliphine Chespol | Kenya | 26 May 2017 | Eugene | [27] |
| 11 | 22 | 8:58.81 | Gulnara Galkina | Russia | 17 August 2008 | Beijing | [28] |
| 23 | 8:58.98 | B. Chepkoech #6 | 27 August 2023 | Budapest | [29] | ||
| 24 | 8:59.36 | B. Chepkoech #7 | 30 June 2018 | Paris | |||
| 25 | 8:59.62 | Jeruto #4 | 31 August 2018 | Brussels | |||
| 12 | 8:59.65 | Faith Cherotich | Kenya | 16 September 2023 | Eugene | [15] | |
| 13 | 9:00.01 | Hyvin Kiyeng | Kenya | 28 May 2016 | Eugene | [30] | |
| 14 | 9:00.71 | Sembo Almayew | Ethiopia | 2 June 2023 | Florence | [31] | |
| 15 | 9:02.35 | Emma Coburn | United States | 30 September 2019 | Doha | [26] | |
| 16 | 9:03.22 | Valerie Constien | United States | 27 June 2024 | Eugene | [32] | |
| 17 | 9:03.30 | Gesa-Felicitas Krause |  Germany | 30 September 2019 | Doha | [26] | |
| 18 | 9:04.61 | Zerfe Wondemagegn | Ethiopia | 2 June 2023 | Florence | [31] | |
| 19 | 9:05.36 | Habiba Ghribi |  Tunisia | 11 September 2015 | Brussels | [33] | |
| 20 | 9:06.15 | Alice Finot | France | 27 August 2023 | Budapest | [34] | |
| 21 | 9:06.37 | Maruša Mišmaš-Zrimšek |  Slovenia | 27 August 2023 | Budapest | [35] | |
| 22 | 9:06.50 | Courtney Wayment | United States | 27 June 2024 | Eugene | [32] | |
| 23 | 9:06.57 | Yekaterina Volkova | Russia | 27 August 2007 | Osaka | ||
| 24 | 9:06.66 | Daisy Jepkemei | Kenya | 29 August 2019 | Zürich | [36] | |
| 25 | 9:07.06 | Sofia Assefa | Ethiopia | 11 June 2017 | Hengelo | [37] |
Annulled marks
The following athletes had their performances (inside 9:07.06) annulled due to doping offences:
- Yuliya Zaripova 9:05.02 (Stockholm 2012)[38]
Olympic medalists
Men
Women
- nb Yekaterina Volkova of Russia was originally the 2008 women's steeplechase bronze medalist, but she was subsequently disqualified for doping and her teammate Arkhipova was allocated the medal.[39]
- nb2 Yuliya Zaripova of Russia was originally the 2012 women's steeplechase champion, but she was subsequently disqualified for doping. Ghribi, Sofia Assefa and Chemos were all elevated one place as a result.[40]
World Championships medalists
Men
Medal table
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kenya (KEN) | 13 | 12 | 7 | 32 |
| 2 | Morocco (MAR) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 3 | Qatar (QAT) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 4 |  Italy (ITA) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 5 | Germany (GER) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | Ethiopia (ETH) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 7 |  East Germany (GDR) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 Poland (POL) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 9 | France (FRA) | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 10 |  Algeria (ALG) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
 Belgium (BEL) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Great Britain (GBR) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Saudi Arabia (KSA) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Spain (ESP) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| United States (USA) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals (15 entries) | 19 | 19 | 19 | 57 | |
Women
| Championships | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 Helsinki | Dorcus Inzikuru (UGA) | Yekaterina Volkova (RUS) | Jeruto Kiptum (KEN) |
| 2007 Osaka | Yekaterina Volkova (RUS) | Tatyana Petrova (RUS) | Eunice Jepkorir (KEN) |
| 2009 Berlin | Vacant [41][42] | Yuliya Zarudneva (RUS) | Milcah Chemos Cheywa (KEN) |
| 2011 Daegu | Habiba Ghribi (TUN) | Milcah Chemos Cheywa (KEN) | Mercy Wanjiku (KEN) |
| 2013 Moscow | Milcah Chemos Cheywa (KEN) | Lydiah Chepkurui (KEN) | Sofia Assefa (ETH) |
| 2015 Beijing | Hyvin Jepkemoi (KEN) | Habiba Ghribi (TUN) | Gesa Felicitas Krause (GER) |
| 2017 London |  Emma Coburn (USA) | Courtney Frerichs (USA) | Hyvin Jepkemoi (KEN) |
| 2019 Doha | Beatrice Chepkoech (KEN) | Emma Coburn (USA) | Gesa Felicitas Krause (GER) |
| 2022 Eugene | Norah Jeruto (KAZ) | Werkuha Getachew (ETH) | Mekides Abebe (ETH) |
| 2023 Budapest | Winfred Yavi (BHR) | Beatrice Chepkoech (KEN) | Faith Cherotich (KEN) |
Season's bests
Women
National records
Men
Equal or superior to 8:30.00 min:
Women
Equal or superior to 9:30.00 min:
