Val Constien punched her ticket to a second Olympic Games with a historic performance at the U.S. Track and Field Trials on Thursday night in Eugene, Oregon.
The former Battle Mountain runner won the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 9 minutes, 3.22 seconds, establishing a new trials record. The run also made the 28-year-old the third-fastest U.S. steeplechaser of all-time.
“I’ve already done it once before, but this time is just so sweet,” the 2021 Olympian told assembled media after her 11-second personal best. “Especially considering how hard last year was.”
Constien struggled with injuries and illness after her Tokyo Olympic berth. It wasn’t until April of 2023 that she received her first professional contract. Just a week after signing with Nike, however, she blew out her ACL coming off the water jump at her Diamond League debut in Doha, Qatar. On May 23, she had double knee surgery at the Steadman Clinic in Vail. She went on her first run in September.
“I didn’t think I was going to be here, to be perfectly honest,” Constien said when asked if the looming date of the Olympic Trials was a stressor during her rehab. “I was like, well, it’s a bummer I’m going to miss 2024, but at least I’ll be healthy for 2025.”
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Constien characterized her recovery, which she chronicled on Youtube, as a “very slow and arduous process.”
“I never did anything crazy,” she said. “I didn’t push anything. I just listened to my body and I didn’t have any hiccups along the way. So, really lucky.”
Val Constien’s journey to Olympic Trials victory
April 2023 – Constien receives first professional contract
May 5, 2023 – Tears ACL in Diamond League debut in Doha, Qatar, one week after signing with Nike.
May 23, 2023 – Undergoes double knee surgery at The Steadman Clinic in Vail
September, 2023 – Constien goes on her first run post-surgery.
April 15, 2024 – Constien runs in her first race since her injury, running 4:12.97 in the 1500-meters at the Bryan Clay Invitational.
May 11, 2024 – Constien qualifies for the U.S. Olympic Trials with a 9:27.22 steeplechase — her first steeplechase since the Doha injury.
May 25, 2024 – Constien sets a four-second personal best at the Prefontaine Classic, running 9:14.29
June 27, 2024 – Constien becomes the third-fastest U.S. steeplechaser of all-time, running 9:03.22 to win the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in a new trials record.
After opening her season with a 1500-meter run at the Bryan Clay Invitational in April, the 28-year-old thought the trials was a possibility.Even after notching the trials standard with a 9:27.22 win at the Track Fest in Los Angeles on May 11 — her first steeplechase since Doha — she remained relatively low key. It wasn’t until she set a personal best of 9:14.29 run at the Prefontaine Classic that she raised her expectations from just being a participant to being a contender.
“I think taking that pressure off and focusing on being healthy and doing everything right was how I got to this point,” she said. “I listened to the surgeons’ advice and that patience paid off.”
Her patience paid off in Thursday’s race, too.
After cruising through the prelims on Monday, Constien predicted sub 9:10 would be required for finishing in the top-3 to make the U.S. team. Annie Rodenfels was the early leader, dragging a slew of women through the first kilometer in 3:00.
Even though the group was nearly on American record pace, Constien said she wasn’t paying attention to the clock.
“I was just telling myself that I believed in myself and I needed to be relaxed,” she said.
Courtney Wayment, who finished one place behind Constien and missed qualifying in 2021, set the tone through the second third of the race as Constien sat right on her hip in second.
“My plan was to run with whoever was at the front and then try to win. I didn’t even look at the clock,” Constien said. “I was just racing.”
Coming into the bell lap, 31-year-old Marisa Howard surged into the lead. NCAA champion Olivia Markezich also made a bid as Constien nearly was tripped up going over the first-curve barrier. The Edwards-native found space on the outside and bolted into the lead for good with 300 meters remaining.
“I knew if I was in the mix in the last 300, it would be pretty tough to beat me,” said Constien, who closed in an astonishing 2:54 for the last 1,000-meters and 65 seconds for the last lap. “I’m very confident in my kick, so I knew I had it in me.”
Markezich landed awkwardly off the water barrier, opening the way for Wayment (9:06.50) to take silver and Howard (9:07.14) the bronze.
“Just complete disbelief,” said Howard, who came into the race with a previous best of 9:22. “I knew I had a big one in me, it was just a matter of putting it together on the day.”
“I knew it was going to be fast,” Constien said. “Did I think i was going to run 9:03? No, but I mean I feel like I’m just starting to reach my potential and figure out how good I am, so hopefully I can just keep it going.”
Constien’s meteoric rise puts her in serious podium contention at the Paris Olympics.
“I’m not going to think that far ahead,” she said when asked about medaling in August. “I’m just going to go back to Boulder, get back to work, do some training, try to feel good and we’ll see what happens.”
“The steeplechase is a crazy event,” she continued. “People fall down, people get back up…you never know what can happen.”
