The 3000 metres steeplechase or 3000-meter steeplechase (usually abbreviated as ) is the most common distance for the steeplechase in track and field. It is an obstacle race over the distance of the 3000 metres, which derives its name from the horse racing steeplechase.

Rules It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Athletics Championships, and it is also an event recognized by World Athletics. The obstacles for men are high, and for women, they are high.

The water jump consists of a barrier followed by a pit of water with a landing area defined as follows: The pit is 3.66 m (12 feet) square. The pit's forward-direction measurement starts from the approach edge of the barrier and ends at the point where the water jump slope reaches the flat surface of the steeple pathway. The rulebook simply but clearly states, "The water jump, including the hurdle, shall be 3.66 m in length." Pits have an upward slope; the water is deeper near the barrier and is within 2 cm of ground level at the departure end. That slope begins approximately forward of the barrier, at which point the water is deep.

The length of the race is usually ; junior and some masters events are , as women's events used to be. The circuit has four ordinary barriers and one water jump. During the race, each runner must clear a total of 28 ordinary barriers and seven water jumps. This entails seven complete laps after starting with a fraction of a lap run without barriers. The water jump is located on the back turn, either inside the inner lane or outside the outer lane. If it is on the outside, then each of the seven laps is longer than the standard 400 m, and the starting point is on the home straight. If the water jump is on the inside, each lap is shorter than 400 m, and the starting point is on the back straight, so the water jump and barrier in the home straight are bypassed in the first half lap at the start.

Unlike those used in hurdling, steeplechase barriers do not fall over if hit, and the rules allow an athlete to negotiate the barrier by any means, so many runners step on top of them. Four barriers are spaced around the track on level ground, and a fifth barrier at the top of the second turn (fourth barrier in a complete lap from the finish line) is the water jump. The slope of the water jump rewards runners with more jumping ability, because a longer jump results in a shallower landing in the water.

Area records Updated 22 June 2026.

Area Men Women Time Season Athlete Time Season Athlete World 7:52.11 2023 8:44.32 2018 Area records Africa 7:52.11 2023 8:44.32 2018 Asia 7:53.63 2004 8:44.39 2024 Europe 7:57.80 2026 8:58.67 2024 North, Central Americaand Caribbean 8:00.45 2015 8:57.77 2021 Oceania 8:09.64 2024 9:14.28 2016 South America 8:14.41 1995 9:24.38 2022

All-time top 25

Tables show data for two definitions of "Top 25" - the top 25 3000 m steeplechase times and the top 25 athletes:- denotes top performance for athletes in the top 25 3000 m steeplechase times- denotes lesser performances, still in the top 25 3000 m steeplechase times, by repeat athletes- denotes top performance (only) for other top 25 athletes who fall outside the top 25 3000 m steeplechase times

Men Correct as of August 2026. Time Athlete Nation Date Place 117:52.11Lamecha Girma9 June 2023Paris22 7:53.63 Saif Saaeed Shaheen1 3 September 2004Brussels33 7:53.64 Brimin Kipruto 22 July 2011Monaco 44 7:54.31 Paul Kipsiele Koech 31 May 2012Rome55 7:55.28 Brahim Boulami 24 August 2001Brussels6 7:55.51 Shaheen #226 August 2005Brussels67 7:55.72 Bernard Barmasai 24 August 1997Cologne78 7:55.76 Ezekiel Kemboi 22 July 2011Monaco89 7:56.16 Moses Kiptanui 24 August 1997Cologne10 7:56.32 Shaheen #3 3 July 2006Athens11 7:56.34 Shaheen #48 July 2005Rome12 7:56.37 Koech #28 July 2005Rome13 7:56.54 Shaheen #518 August 2006Zürich14 7:56.58 Koech #311 May 2012Doha9157:56.68Soufiane El Bakkali28 May 2023Rabat1016 7:56.81 Richard Mateelong 11 May 2012Doha17 7:56.94 Shaheen #6 19 September 2004Monaco187:57.25El Bakkali #231 May 2026Rabat19 7:57.28 Shaheen #714 June 2005Athens1120 7:57.29 Reuben Kosgei 24 August 2001Brussels21 7:57.32 Koech #4 22 July 2011Monaco22 7:57.38 Shaheen #814 September 2003Monaco23 7:57.42 Koech #514 September 2003Monaco12247:57.80Frederik Ruppert31 May 2026Rabat25 7:58.09 Boulami #219 July 2002Monaco137:58.41 Jairus Birech 5 September 2014Brussels147:59.08 Wilson Boit Kipketer 13 August 1997Zürich157:59.44Simon Kiprop Koech31 May 2026Rabat168:00.09 Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad 6 July 2013Saint-Denis178:00.12 Conseslus Kipruto 5 June 2016Birmingham188:00.45 Evan Jager 4 July 2015Saint-Denis198:01.18 Bouabdellah Tahri 18 August 2009Berlin208:01.61Edmund Serem31 May 2026Rabat218:01.67 Abel Mutai 31 May 2012Rome228:01.69 Kipkirui Misoi 24 August 2001Brussels238:02.36Abrham Sime 7 July 2024ParisAmos Serem 7 July 2024Paris258:02.75 Gemechu Godana 23 August 2026Chorzów

Notes 1 Until 2002 he was known as Stephen Cherono, and represented Kenya.

Annulled marks The following athletes had their performance (inside 7:55.00) annulled due to doping offences: Brahim Boulami 7:53.17 (Zürich 2002)

Women Correct as of September 2026. Time Athlete Nation Date Place 118:44.32Beatrice Chepkoech 20 July 2018Monaco228:44.39Winfred Yavi30 August 2024Rome38:45.25Yavi #25 July 2025Eugene348:48.03Peruth Chemutai30 August 2024Rome458:48.71Faith Cherotich5 July 2025Eugene68:49.59Yavi #319 July 2025Heusden-Zolder78:50.66Yavi #416 September 2023Eugene88:51.06Chemutai #223 May 2026Xiamen98:51.47Chemutai #316 May 2026Shaoxing108:51.48Cherotich #216 May 2026Shaoxing118:51.54Yavi #523 May 2026Xiamen128:51.59Cherotich #317 September 2025Tokyo138:51.61Cherotich #44 September 2026Brussels148:51.67B. Chepkoech #216 September 2023Eugene158:51.74Cherotich #44 July 2026Eugene168:51.77Chemutai #45 July 2025Eugene178:52.53Cherotich #523 May 2026Xiamen188:52.76Yavi #66 August 2024Saint-Denis5198:52.78Ruth Jebet 27 August 2016Saint-Denis208:52.84Yavi #74 July 2026Eugene6218:52.86Doris Lemngole4 September 2026Brussels7228:53.02Norah Jeruto 20 July 2022Eugene238:53.34Chemutai #56 August 2024Saint-Denis248:53.54Yavi #84 September 2026Brussels258:53.65Jeruto #221 August 2021Eugene88:54.32Marwa Bouzayani4 July 2026Eugene98:54.61Werkuha Getachew20 July 2022Eugene108:56.08Mekides Abebe20 July 2022Eugene118:57.35Jackline Chepkoech23 July 2023London128:57.77Courtney Frerichs 21 August 2021Eugene138:58.67Alice Finot6 August 2024Saint-Denis148:58.78Celliphine Chespol 26 May 2017Eugene158:58.81Gulnara Galkina 17 August 2008Beijing168:58.86Sembo Almayew17 September 2025Tokyo178:59.66Kena Tufa 16 May 2026Shaoxing189:00.01Hyvin Kiyeng 28 May 2016Eugene199:02.35Emma Coburn 30 September 2019Doha209:03.22Valerie Constien27 June 2024Eugene219:03.30Gesa-Felicitas Krause 30 September 2019Doha229:04.35Elizabeth Bird 6 August 2024Saint-Denis239:04.61Zerfe Wondemagegn2 June 2023Florence249:05.36Habiba Ghribi 11 September 2015BrusselsLexy Halladay4 September 2026Brussels

Annulled marks The following athletes had their performances (inside 9:05.36) annulled due to doping offences: Yuliya Zaripova 9:05.02 (Stockholm 2012)

Olympic medalists Men

Women

World Championships medalists Men

Women

World leading times

Men YearTimeAthletePlace19688:24.2 Stockholm19698:22.2 Kyiv19708:21.98Berlin19718:24.0 Adelaide19728:20.8 Helsinki19738:13.91Helsinki19748:14.2 Helsinki19758:09.70Stockholm19768:08.02Montréal19778:14.05Stockholm19788:05.4 Seattle19798:17.92Champaign19808:09.70Moscow19818:12.32Zagreb19828:16.17Koblenz19838:12.37Berlin19848:07.62Brussels19858:09.17Koblenz19868:10.01Brussels19878:08.57Rome19888:05.51Seoul19898:05.35Stockholm19908:10.95Hengelo19918:06.46Brussels19928:02.08Zürich19938:06.36Stuttgart19948:08.80Zürich19957:59.18Zürich19968:05.68Milan19977:55.72Cologne19988:00.67Monaco19997:58.98Monaco20008:02.76Monaco20017:55.28Brussels20027:58.09Monaco20037:57.38Monaco20047:53.63Brussels20057:55.51Brussels20067:56.32Athens20077:58.80Brussels20088:00.57Heusden-Zolder20097:58.85Doha20108:00.90Brussels20117:53.64Monaco20127:54.31Rome20137:59.03Saint-Denis20147:58.41Brussels20157:58.83Saint-Denis20168:00.12Birmingham20178:01.29Monaco20187:58.15Monaco20198:01.35Doha20208:08.04Monaco20218:07.12Paris20227:58.28Rabat20237:52.11Paris20248:01.63Stockholm20258:00.70Rabat20267:57.25Rabat

Women YearTimeAthletePlace199610:23.47Atlanta199710:30.90Indianapolis19989:55.28Bucharest19999:48.88Tula20009:48.88Reims20019:44.36Poznań20029:16.51Gdańsk20039:08.33Tula20049:01.59Iraklio20059:15.04Athens20069:17.15Athens20079:06.57Osaka20088:58.81Beijing20099:12.50Berlin20109:11.71Rome20119:07.03Daegu20129:05.02Stockholm20139:11.65Moscow20149:10.64Glasgow20159:05.36Brussels20168:52.78Saint-Denis20178:55.29Zürich20188:44.32Monaco20198:55.58Palo Alto20209:06.14Berlin20219:00.67Doha20228:53.02Eugene20238:50.66Eugene20248:44.39Rome20258:45.25Eugene20268:51.06Xiamen

See also

National records in the 3000 metres steeplechase 2000 metres steeplechase

References

External links IAAF list of 3000-metres steeplechase records in XML Steeplechase at the Olympic Games at Sports Reference