Emma Coburn’s American record in the will not be ratified by USA Track and Field because she did not take a drug test after the race.
While her time of 9 minutes, 11.42 seconds on July 12 will still stand, her teammate, Jenny Simpson, will remain the official American record holder at 9:12.50, set in 2009. Coburn and Simpson, who competed for the University of Colorado, are sponsored by New Balance.
A USATF rule — in existence now for 10 years — requires athletes to take a doping test immediately at the end of a race at which an American record was set.
“If an American record is set outside of the United States, athletes (or their representatives) must notify the event directors to coordinate a request to be tested immediately by a WADA-accredited testing agency,” the rules state.
Coburn declined to comment to The Denver Post on Thursday, saying she needed to focus on her scheduled 2,000 meter race at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston on Saturday. She issued a statement Thursday morning saying she was “incredibly disappointed.”
“It’s an unfortunate situation,” the statement read. “I missed a procedural step that my team and I were unaware of and the record wasn’t ratified.
“I am the fastest American woman to have raced the 3000-meter steeplechase. My focus now is on bettering my time this upcoming season and chasing global medals.”
New Balance stands by the record and honored the bonus due for setting it, Coburn’s statement read. The news .
“It is an unfortunate situation,” USATF spokeswoman Jill Geer told The Post. “Not surprisingly, Emma has handled it with great class, dignity and grace.”
Coburn is expected to continue racing steeplechase for the long-term, so it’s likely she’ll set the record again, officially, this summer.
In most cases, agents are responsible for arranging drug tests at races when athletes are expected to break records. Meet organizers may not have required Coburn to take a test in Glasgow because she didn’t win her race. She finished second to Ethiopian Hiwot Ayalew.
Coburn, , does not have an agent, unlike most athletes of her caliber. She and her coach, CU’s Mark Wetmore, handle arranging races and travel.
Daniel Petty: 303-954-1081, dpetty@denverpost.com or
