 Constien at the 2024 United States Olympic trials | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Born | March 21, 1996 Edwards, Colorado, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Track and field |
| Event(s) | 3000 m steeplechase, Mile |
| College team | Colorado Buffaloes |
| Club | Nike |
| Coached by | Mark Wetmore, Heather Burroughs |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal bests |
|
Valerie Constien (born March 21, 1996) is an American track and field athlete and two-time Olympian.
Constien is from Vail, Colorado and a 2014 graduate of Battle Mountain High School. She attended the University of Colorado following high school in the hope of being an environmental engineer. [1] Constein competes for the Tracksmith Amateur Support Program while being coached by Mark Wetmore and Heather Burroughs. In 2015, Constein ran at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Qingzhen, Guiyang finishing 62nd. [2]
Constien finished third on June 24, 2021 in the 3000m steeplechase at the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon behind Emma Coburn and Courtney Frerichs to secure her place at the delayed 2020 Summer Games. The race went to form as Constien was the United States’ third-fastest steeplechaser heading into the Olympic Trials with a personal best of 9:25. [3] She also set a new personal best of 9:18.34 in the race. [4] Constein qualified for the final at the Olympics in Tokyo and finished twelfth. [5]
In 2023, Constien won the US national indoor 3000m title in Albuquerque, New Mexico. [6] In April 2023, Constien signed a sponsorship deal with Nike. [7] Unfortunately for Constien, competing at the 2023 Diamond League event in Doha in May 2023, she suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury which required surgery. [8]
In 2024, Constien qualified for the Olympic Games in Paris by winning the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 3000 meters steeplechase. [9] Competing in Paris in the 3000m steeplechase, she qualified for the final, and placed 15th overall. [10]
Shannon Solares-Rowbury is an American middle-distance runner from San Francisco, California. After competing collegiately for Duke University, she turned professional in 2007. Rowbury has represented the United States at the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Summer Olympics, winning a bronze medal in 2012. She also represented the United States at the World Championships in 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017, winning the bronze medal in the 1500 meters in 2009. In 2015, Rowbury helped set the world record with the U.S. team for the distance medley relay event, and set a then-American record for 1500 meters on July 17, 2015, breaking Mary Slaney's 32 year-old mark with a time of 3:56.29.
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Evan Reese Jager is an American middle- and long-distance runner who specializes in the 3000 metres steeplechase. In his speciality event, he won a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and a bronze at the 2017 World Championships. Jager is the current NACAC area record holder in the event with a time of 8:00.45. He is sponsored by Nike and is coached by Jerry Schumacher of the Bowerman Track Club.
Emma Jane Coburn is an American middle-distance runner who specializes in the 3000-meters steeplechase. She holds the distinction of being a world champion, world silver medalist, Olympic bronze medalist, three-time Olympian and 10-time US National Champion in the steeplechase.
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Shalaya Kipp is an American middle-distance runner who competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the 3000 meter steeplechase.
Ashley Higginson is an American middle-distance runner who has made the U.S. team for the 2013 World Championships in Athletics in the 3000 meter steeplechase.
Grant Jackson Fisher is an American middle- and long-distance runner. Fisher holds American records in the 3000 m, two mile, 5000 m, and 10,000 m events. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Fisher won bronze medals in the 5000 m and 10,000 m, becoming the first American to medal in both events at an Olympic Games.
Courtney Frerichs is an American middle-distance runner and steeplechase specialist from Nixa, Missouri, She is a three-time silver medalist in the 3000 meters steeplechase capturing silver at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, the 2017 World Championships in London and at the 2018 World (Continental) Cup in Ostrava. In 2021, she became the first American woman to run under nine-minutes in a women’s 3000-meters steeplechase event with a time of 8:57.77; establishing an American and Area record. She is a two-time Olympian making the US team in 2016 and 2020. In both of her Olympic Trials she finished second to US National Champion, Emma Coburn.
Allison "Allie" Ostrander is an American long-distance runner from Soldotna, Alaska. The NCAA Division I steeplechase champion in 2017, 2018 and 2019, she competed for the Boise State University Broncos. In July 2019, Ostrander announced her plans to forgo her final season of NCAA eligibility and begin running professionally.
Elinor Purrier St. Pierre, better known as Elle Purrier St. Pierre, is an American track and field athlete who specializes in middle-distance and long-distance running. She won a gold medal in the 3000 meters at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow. Purrier also represented the United States at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
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Lamecha Girma is an Ethiopian athlete who specialises in the 3,000 metres steeplechase. He is the 2020 Tokyo Olympic silver medallist in the event and won silver medals at the 2019, 2022 and 2023 World Athletics Championships. Lamecha also won a silver in the 3,000 metres at the 2022 World Indoor Championships. He is the world indoor record holder for the 3,000 metres, which was set in February 2023. In June 2023 at the Meeting de Paris of the Diamond League, he broke the world record for the men's 3,000 metres steeplechase.
Andrew Bayer is an American track and field athlete who specializes in 1500 metres and 3000 metres steeplechase. Representing the United States at the 2019 World Athletics Championships, he qualified for the final in men's 3000 metres steeplechase.
Marisa Howard is an American athlete who specializes in the 3000 metres steeplechase. In 2024, Howard qualified for the Olympic Games in Paris by placing third at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 3000 meters steeplechase. During the 2024 Paris Olympics, Howard placed seventh in the Round 1, Heat 3 with a time of 9:24.78.
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Yared Nuguse is an American professional middle-distance runner who specializes in the 1500 meters. He was the 2019 NCAA Division I champion in the event and bronze medalist from the 2024 Summer Olympics. Nuguse is the North American outdoor record holder over the one mile distance, and the North American indoor record holder for the 1500 meters, one mile and 3000 meters.
Krissy Gear is an American professional middle distance and World Championship steeplechase runner from Fort Myers, Florida. Gear placed 10th at 2018 World U20 Championships. She is the 2023 USA Champion and 2018 USA U20 Champion. Kristlin Gear is an American track and field athlete. In 2023, she became the US national champion in the 3000m steeplechase.
Olivia Markezich is an American middle and long-distance runner. She was the 2023 NCAA Steeplechase champion.
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