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Barringer Gets NCAA 3000m Record at Indoor Champs

Posted March 15th, 2009 at 12:18 PM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, College

Jenny Barringer smashed the USA collegiate record in the 3000m on Saturday as the NCAA Indoor Championships concluded in College Station, Tex., but Sally Kipyego failed to bag her record tenth NCAA title.

Dominating the 15-lap race, the University of Colorado senior clocked 8:42.03 to break the 8:48.77 collegiate standard set by Kipyego at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games last month. Her performance made the 2008 Olympic steeplechase finalist the fourth-fastest performer of the year with the fifth-fastest run. Moreover, she is now the fifth-fastest American ever over the distance.

“I wanted to run for time, get something out there that would stay around for awhile,” said Barringer, who now holds four collegiate records. Earlier this season, she ran 4:25.91 for the mile and 15:01.70 at 5000m. At the Olympics in Beijing last year, she clocked 9:22.26 in the 3000m steeplechase, which is also a USA record.

Dutchwoman and defending champion, Susan Kuijken of Florida State, finished second in 8:56.27.

Besides losing her NCAA indoor 3000m mark, Kipyego, a nursing student from Marakwet, Kenya, also fell short of a record tenth individual NCAA title, a record now held by miler Suzy Favor Hamilton. Coming back from her 5000m victory on Friday, The Texas Tech senior was out-sprinted in the waning meters of the mile by just 0.03 seconds by Tennessee senior Sarah Bowman who won in 4:29.72, a career best. Bowman’s dramatic victory helped propel Tennessee to the overall team title. On Friday, Bowman anchored Tennessee to a world best in the distance medley relay.

With his 7:48.94 win in the 3000m, Oregon senior Galen Rupp entered the history books as well. After his 5000m win and anchor leg on the victorious distance medley relay on Friday, Rupp became the first man to claim all three titles in the same meet to lead Oregon to the men’s team title.

The USA collegiate indoor season, with the exception of national masters championships, concludes this weekend.