RIO DE JANEIRO — University of New Mexico alumna Courtney Frerichs cruised through the prelims of the 3,000-meter steeplechase Saturday morning at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, easily advancing to the finals of the event.
The reigning NCAA champion and NCAA record holder in the steeplechase, Frerichs ran a time of 9 minutes, 27.02 seconds to place third in her preliminary heat and 12th overall at the Olympic Stadium.
She easily secured the requisite top-three finish in her heat to advance to Monday’s finals.
All three Americans racing the steeplechase made the 15-athlete final of the steeplechase, including U.S. record holder Emma Coburn and Colleen Quigley, who along with Frerichs is running professionally for the Bowerman Track Club
Frerichs opened the race near the back of the 18-athlete prelim, but slowly moved up into the lead pack after four laps. She briefly took the lead with two laps to go, but throttled back on the bell lap with an automatic bid to the finals already well in hand.
Her time on Saturday is her fourth under 9:30 since May, which includes the NCAA record (9:24.41) and runner-up honors at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials (personal-record 9:20.92).
Bahrain’s Ruth Jebet ran the top time in the prelims (9:12.62) running in heat one, while the United State’s Coburn (third place overall, 9:18.12) and Quigley (eighth, 9:21.82) also secured finals berths.
Although the 2016 games are only the third Olympics with the women’s steeplechase, it’s the first time Team USA advanced three Americans to the final.
Frerichs will run the finals of the steeplechase at 8:15 a.m. MT on Monday.