BEIJING — Shalane Flanagan won a bronze medal in the 10,000 meters and University of Colorado senior Jenny Barringer qualified for the first-ever Olympic women’s steeplechase today as the track and field program got underway.
Flanagan broke the American record she set at the Olympic Trials, finishing in 30 minutes, 22.22 seconds, to become the second American woman to win a medal in a track distance event at the Olympics. Lynn Jennings won a bronze at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
CU grad Kara Goucher, who won a bronze medal in the 10,000 at last year’s world championships, was 10th.
Flanagan said she took inspiration from Goucher’s breakthrough last year and Deena Kastor’s bronze medal in the marathon at the Athens Olympics four years ago, two pivotal events in the resurgence of American distance running.
“Deena really kick-started things,” Flanagan said. “She’s been a phenomenal role model. She really allowed me to think it was possible, it was attainable. Kara reinforced it last year.”
Flanagan was born in Boulder but grew up in the Boston area and lives now in North Carolina. Her father and mother were distance runners who came to Boulder in the late ’70s when it was just beginning to attract elite distance runners following Frank Shorter’s medal-winning performances in the 1972 and 1976 Olympic marathon.
On Tuesday Flanagan was wracked with severe gastrointestinal distress that made her dehydrated and jeopardized her race. Only Thursday was she certain she would be able to compete.
Goucher was filled with regret for her effort, because she allowed her mind to drift to Tuesday’s 5,000-meter semifinals and backed off the pace in mid-race, but she found solace in Flanagan’s achievement and the statement it made for American distance running.
“For me, the silver lining of the night is that Shalane proved tonight that U.S. distance running is on the world level,” Goucher said. “There’s no fluke that America’s back and it’s so awesome that she ran well.
“I’m so glad, because otherwise I’d be crying.”
It was hard to overstate the significance of Flanagan’s race for American distance running.
“Deena led the way, Shalane will be the best (American) we’ve seen, at every distance,” said Mary Wittenberg, president of the New York Road Runners and a major player in the distance running scene. “Shalane is a thoroughbred and ran a brilliant tactical race. It shows we can compete with anybody.”
The steeplechase is a 3,000-meter race with four barriers on each lap, one with a water pit. The American record holder and NCAA champion, Barringer was third in her heat in 9 minutes, 29.2 seconds. The women’s steeplechase will be held Sunday.
Barringer qualified for the world championships last year in Osaka, Japan, but failed to get out of the semifinals.
“I am thrilled,” Barringer said. “I came out of Osaka and said I never want to go to world championships or Olympics and not make the final. I feel like I made good on that promise, and I’m really looking forward to the next race.”
Barringer, 21, kept herself in the lead pack of four for the entire heat and kicked at the end to make sure she would advance. The top four in each heat automatically qualify.
“With three laps to go I remember thinking, ‘I’m in the most dangerous position, I’m in fourth place, the target’s on my back,’ ” Barringer said. “I thought, ‘Don’t make any big moves, but you’ve got to race.’ I remember thinking, ‘I want to race purely for the gift of running another one.’ ”
Also advancing to Sunday’s final was Anna Willard, (9:28.52) of Ann Arbor, Mich., who was the American record holder until Barringer usurped her last month.
The one major disappointment of the first day involved American shot putters, who were thought to have a chance to sweep the medals. Christian Cantwell won a silver medal, but Reese Hoffa finished seventh and Adam Nelson fouled on all three of his attempts.
John Meyer: 303-954-1616 or jmeyer@denverpost.com
