BERLIN — With three laps remaining and running 11th out of 15 competitors, Jenny Barringer kicked it into gear and then watched others fall victim to an early fast pace in the 3,000-meter steeplechase Monday at the world championships.
The University of Colorado star never led but worked her way to a fifth-place finish while setting an American record.
“It was a blistering pace,” Barringer said. “I thought that maybe I was being too timid, but it was under what I normally go out at. I think I ran a smart race.”
Barringer finished in 9 minutes, 12.5 seconds to surpass her previous U.S. record by 9.76 seconds.
Spaniard Marta Dominguez won the race in 9:07.32.
Meanwhile, Olympic champion Yelena Isinbayeva, who ruled the pole vault for five years, failed to clear height and is out of the championships.
Etheopia’s Kenenisa Bekele and the Jamaicans, however, were as predictable as ever. Bekele extended his domination in the 10,000 meters with a fourth straight world title and Shelly-Ann Fraser added one to her Olympic gold in the 100.
Isinbayeva had won all major titles since the 2004 Athens Games and saw a difficult year hit an unexpected low when the bar fell on her while attempting 15 feet, 9 inches. As the Russian held her head in despair, Anna Rogowska of Poland celebrated unexpected gold by clearing 15-7.
“I don’t have any particular explanation what happened with me, why I lost today,” Isinbayeva said. “Everything was perfect. I just believe that it’s destiny. This sport, sometimes it happens.”
Bekele used his famed final kick to beat Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea by about 20 meters and immediately went on a victory lap with his Ethiopian teammates.
Equaling the four world titles of Haile Gebrselassie, Bekele is challenging him as Africa’s greatest distance runner. He will decide later whether to go for a long-distance double.
Over the shortest distances, Jamaica emerged ever stronger as the greatest nation.
Fraser blasted from the blocks and led throughout to give Jamaica its second sprint gold in two days. Usain Bolt won the men’s 100 in a world-record time of 9.58 seconds Sunday.
Fraser finished in 10.73 seconds, and fast approaching teammate Kerron Stewart finished in 10.75, also crossing in a blur of Jamaican yellow. U.S. champion Carmelita Jeter was never in contention and finished third in 10.90, edging defending champion Veronica Campbell-Brown, a third Jamaican in the top four.
The American problems didn’t end there. Tyson Gay said he would not compete in a rematch with 100-meter champion Usain Bolt in the 200 this week because of an ailing groin.
