|
LONDON, Aug. 11-- Olympic bronze medalist Emma Coburn of the United States cut nearly four seconds off the Championships record en route to winning the women's 3,000 meters steeplechase at the 2017 IAAF World Championships here on Friday. The 26-year-old Coburn waited patiently behind world record holder Ruth Jebet of Bahrain and three Kenyan athletes, including defending champion Hyvin Kiyeng Jepkemoi, for most of the race, before charging for the lead together with her teammate Courtney Frerichs in the final lap. The American duo notched the leading positions off the final curve and Coburn hit the finish line in style in nine minutes, 2.58 seconds, smashing the previous Championships record of 9:06.57 set by Russia's Yekaterina Volkova back in 2007. "This is incredible. I'm lost for words. This is better than I could ever have imagined." said a jubilant Coburn after the race. "I have memories from 2017 and 2016 where I went too early for the last push, so I just had to keep trusting myself and be patient, and it looks like it paid off." The winning time also turns out to be the personal best for Coburn, whose previous career mark was 9:07.63 set last summer at Rio Olympics. "I never expected to win in that time but I kept pressing. It is pretty amazing to get a championship record," she added. Frerichs took the silver medal in 9:03.77, which is also a personal best for the 24-year-old. She hugged with Coburn after crossing the line to celetrate the first ever one-two finish in steeplechase for the United States at World Championships. | 
