The steeplechase is one of the fastest growing events in popularity in USA track and field. However, there still aren't a lot of facilities and meets that give the opportunity to run it, but that doesn't stop the brave ones who choose to tackle the event.
With the recent success the US women and men have had over the recent world and olympic championship events, the better and brighter the future the event continues look.
With perfect weather on Friday night, the steeplechase kicked the meet off to a great start.
Mexican athlete Arian Chia-Hernandez came in with one mindset and that was to win. She accomplished that goal and boy did she do it in a fast time. Chia-Hernandez won the event in 7:04.02, good enough for the fourth fastest time at Texas Relays in the last 10 years.
The rest of the girls also ran fast times. Katy Tompkins freshman Hayden Gold and Fort Worth Nolan Catholic senior Alison Bryant were involved in a mad dash to the finish for a battle for second place. Gold out leaned Bryant for the second spot in a 7:15.35 to 7:15.65. Those times happen to be the eighth and ninth fastest times on the last 10 years at Texas Relays.
The boys steeplechase was pretty swift as well.
Just like in the girls race, a runner from Mexico won the boys race. Cesar Gomez-Ponce managed to pull away from the Texas runners in the final laps as he ran to a winning time of 6:01.04, good enough for the third fastest time in the last decade.
He also pulled Texas athletes through to some fast times.
Lake Travis senior Brendan Hebert has been a man on fire. He has been running all over the state and picking up PRs week after week in a variety of events. This week, it was his turn to continue his hot streak in the 2,000 Steeplechase. Hebert battled through the grueling and physically challenging event to finish in close finish for second as he outlasted Illinois' Charlie Parrish. Hebert ran 6:09.37 to Parrish' 6:09.78, both times crack the top ten times over the last decade.
Not too far behind those two was Lucas Lovejoy sophomore William Muirhead in 6:11.01 and Medina Valley senior Austin Zirkel followed with a 6:22.74.