Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
Day 2
Barringer Captures NCAA Indoor 3k Crown
March 14, 2009 | Track and Field
COLLEGE STATION, Texas ? University of Colorado senior Jenny Barringer captured the 3,000-meter run crown in record time at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship at the Gilliam Track & Field Stadium on Saturday night.
Barringer finished the race in a NCAA record 8 minutes, 42.03 seconds, which is the fourth best time run in the world this year. She defeated the 2008 champion Susan Kuijken (Florida State) who finished in 8:56.27.
“I wanted to run for time ? get something out there that would stay around for awhile,” Barringer said. “That is what I was after. I really expected someone to go out with me and I wasn't surprised that it was Susan. She ran a phenomenal race. She was right there breathing down my neck for most of the race.”
Kuijken and Barringer took to the front of the pack from the very beginning and wasted no time in distancing themselves from the field. By the time they had run 1,200 meters, Barringer and Kuijken had a 100 meter lead on the rest of the competition.
“We know that Susan is a formidable opponent,” Colorado Head Coach Mark Wetmore said. “She has run under nine minutes in the past. We knew that she would run aggressively and is certainly a fearless racer. She lasted a long time. The race unfolded about the way we expected.”
Barringer started to pull away from Kuijken after 2,000 meters and from that point it was clear that the title was Barringer's to lose. Barringer was quickly gaining on the rest of the field and started to lap the end of the pack with less than 150 meters to go. As she entered the bell lap, Barringer started to kick but had to maneuver her way around most of the field.
“It was actually really exciting,” Barringer said. “Technically I'm sure it slowed me down a second or two because I had to swing really wide. I do remember thinking, ?Why do I have to pass them on the top of the bank?' but other than that, they pushed me and made me better. It was fun to swing around them with 100 meters to go and the crowd was going crazy so I wouldn't replace that with any other circumstance.”
Despite having to run around the entire pack, Barringer kicked to a split of 30.74 seconds, her fastest of the entire race.
The time of 8:42.03 was a collegiate, facility, school and NCAA Meet record. The previous collegiate best of 8:48.77 was run by Sally Kipyego on Feb. 7, 2009. Kim Smith had held the meet record at 8:49.18 (set in 2004) and the facility record was 9:09.83; also held by Kipyego (Feb. 28, 2009).
Barringer was considered a favorite heading into the race as she was ranked first in the nation with a mark of 8:53.88, which had been the CU record. She had earned automatic qualifying marks in the mile and 5k as well, but chose to concentrate on just the 3k for nationals.
“It was really exciting to get out and run this race,” Barringer said. “I ran a 3k to start the season. It was kind of my rust buster. To get out and better that performance was really exciting. I've had some other really great performances this year and this is one event that I think I am best in and so that is why I ran it at nationals.”
Barringer now owns three collegiate indoor records. She ran 4:25.91 in the mile, 8:42.03 in the 3k and 15:01.70 in the 5k. Not to be forgotten is her outdoor steeplechase collegiate best, which also doubles as the American record, at 9:22.26.
“The records are special to me because I believe the frontier of women's track and field is improving on every level,” Barringer said. “The high jump was broken yesterday, the throws and sprints are doing well ? so nothing is being left out. I hold three distance records amongst some of the best female athletes ever to step on the track, in my opinion.”
Wetmore was also very pleased about Barringer's ability to break several records this season.
“It was what we hoped for,” Wetmore said. “She, myself and coach (Heather Burroughs) had had our eyes on those records. We felt they were attainable. She has done a lot of hard work and made a lot of good decisions in her life, so if anyone deserves this, she does.”
This is the first indoor championship for a Buff since 2005 when Renee Metivier won the 3k. Barringer joins some elite company in Sara (Gorton) Slattery and Metivier who own indoor and outdoor NCAA titles.
“A lot of those women have gone on to have professional careers and some really phenomenal careers at that,” Barringer said. “I am excited to be following their footsteps and hopefully continue down that path and have a pretty successful professional career.”
This was Barringer's second trip to the indoor championship. She took 12th overall in the 3k in 2007 and finished in 9:23.58. Barringer does own a pair of NCAA outdoor titles in the 3,000-meter steeplechase which she won in 2006 and 08.
The NCAA title marks the end to a perfect season for Barringer as she won all four races she entered. All four marks were school records and three were collegiate records.
“This was better than the masterpiece I had designed at the beginning of the year,” Barringer. “I'm really excited about how we have taken another step forward.”
“We achieved the goals we had set out to achieve,” Wetmore said. “She is finishing the season healthy. Our only concern is that there is still a whole outdoor season and perhaps some things in Europe after that and then perhaps a cross country season after that. So there is a long way to go and it's time to rest for a little while.”
2009 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championship
Gilliam Track & Field Stadium at the McFerrin Athletic Center (College Station, Texas)
Saturday, March 14 (CU Athletes Only)
Women's 3,000-Meters: 1. Jenny Barringer, 8:42.03 (NCAA Meet, Collegiate, Facility and school record)
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Players Mentioned
