Alicja Konieczek shattered the Polish record in the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 9:16.51, securing her spot in the Olympic final in Paris. Konieczek’s achievement marks a significant milestone, as she surpassed the previous national record of 9:17.15 set by Wioletta Frankiewicz in 2006 by 0.64 seconds.
Konieczek finished fourth in the third qualifying heat, earning her place among the top five fastest runners from each of the three heats to advance to the final.
Unfortunately, it was not the same fate for her younger sister, Aneta Konieczek, and fellow competitor Kinga Królik. Despite setting personal bests with times of 9:24.43 and 9:26.61 respectively, both missed out on the final by over 10 seconds. Aneta finished ninth in the first heat, while Królik placed eighth in the second.
The fastest time in the qualifiers was posted by the reigning champion, Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai, who clocked in at 9:10.51.
The final race for the 3000m steeplechase medals is scheduled for Tuesday, promising an exciting showdown as Konieczek vies for Olympic glory.