For those who tuned into the penultimate Diamond League meet of the season on Friday in Brussels, you might need seen observe and subject’s latest experiment: the one-mile steeplechase. The occasion turned one of many sport’s least fashionable disciplines into 4 quick laps of obstacles and water jumps, making for a stable first impression.
Winfred Yavi 🇧🇭 makes historical past in her debut on the ladies’s 1-mile steeplechase, clocking a outstanding 4:40.13 to take gold on the #BrusselsDL, a brand new World Finest!
Angelina Ellis 🇺🇸 completed second in 4:46.74, with Olivia Gurth 🇩🇪 claiming third in 4:51.87.
This occasion will… pic.twitter.com/6btxlPYSDY
— RunBlogRun (@RunBlogRun) August 22, 2025
Burundi’s Winfred Yavi, the reigning Olympic champion within the 3,000m steeplechase, received the inaugural Diamond League steeple mile in 4:40.19, establishing a world finest time that can stand till the occasion turns into record-eligible in 2026. Yavi went out arduous with a 64-second opening lap (4:16 mile tempo) earlier than fading barely however nonetheless held off American Angelina Ellis, who completed six seconds behind.
The brand new self-discipline drew reward from athletes. Three-time Olympian and 10-time U.S. steeplechase champion Emma Coburn posted on X: “The mile steeplechase seems to be SO a lot enjoyable. Good job!”
The mile steeplechase seems to be SO a lot enjoyable. Good job @WinfredYavi 🤗
— emma coburn (@emmajcoburn) August 22, 2025
“It’s an uncommon distance—usually it’s 3,000m, so I ran quicker than I usually do,” Yavi informed reporters. “It felt tougher than the three,000m; I needed to change my jumps since I used to be operating quicker towards the steeple.”
Not like the standard 3,000m steeplechase, the mile model features a water bounce on the very first lap, simply earlier than 300m, together with three extra obstacles per lap, 12 whole for the race.
World Athletics to introduce a 4x100m combined relay and steeplechase mile
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe launched the idea final 12 months in an effort to create a faster-paced, extra spectator-friendly race. The steeple mile is even being thought of for subsequent 12 months’s Final Athletics Championship in Budapest.
