The sole distance event of the this morning’s athletics session at the Stade de France was the heats of the women’s 3000m steeplechase. James Rhodes runs through what happened. 

Super Steeples

Lizzie Bird, who spoke to Fast Running ahead of the Olympics, qualified for her second Olympic Games final. It is an excellent achievement considering her 2023 season was all but wiped out by mono.

Her recovery this season has been impressive, and she finished fourth in the second heat in Paris in 9:16.46. That time is the third fastest of her career, behind only her National Record from Monaco in 2022 and last month’s Paris Diamond League. With only five to qualify (no non-automatic qualifiers) and six going into the last lap, it required a good finish. Just 0.01 seconds separated Lizzie from not making the final.

She spoke to James Rhodes after the heat:

“I’m relieved! I was a bit worried after I finished that I hadn’t made it. On the last lap I was counting. I was pretty sure that after the water jump I could get one person in the last 100m, but I think I got a bit stuck. I tried to keep on the inside lane and got stuck, which is my fault. I had to find an extra gear at the end”.

Photo: Sam Mellish / Team GB

Getting Faster

The race went out slowly, the leaders clocking 3:10 for the first kilometre and 3:06 for the second. The closing third was considerably faster, with Lizzie clocking sub-three minutes for the last kilometre.

“That’s why my legs hurt then! I was expecting to have to run that or faster. I think with a bit of a smoother race I can go a lot quicker, it was quite a jumpy one. I’ve just got to get rested now”.

Her time was over three seconds faster than that in the final three years ago in Tokyo, and eight seconds faster than the Tokyo heats. There is therefore plenty of confidence to take into the final.

Photo: Sam Mellish / Team GB

Aimee Also

Aimee Pratt raced over the distance for just the second time this year in the first heat. She improved her season’s best by twelve seconds to 9:27.26; however, her eleventh place finish did not see her advance to the final. It is a welcome return for an athlete who has noted on social media her struggles over the past year.

Post-race, she noted she is proud to have made it to the biggest stage and her second Olympics:

“I felt this season was going to be a write off, so I am proud that I got here and ran. My build up has been rough, probably the worst I have ever had. I was able to turn the season around a little bit after thinking I wouldn’t race at all“.

Photo: Sam Mellish / Team GB

The final takes place on Tuesday 6 August at 20:14 UK time.