1. Intro to Steeplechasing
The steeplechase is a track and field event that became a men's event in the Olympics in 1920. It was originally a run that started at a church steeple in one town and ended at the church steeple in another, earning the name steeplechase. The Olympics in 2008 are the first games to feature the women's Olympic steeplechase as an event. Steeplechasing includes three different track and field events into one: running, long jumping and hurdling. In the Olympic event, the athletes compete on a track, making eight full laps around it. The first lap, there are no jumps. Starting on the second lap, there are five jumps on each lap, the fourth being the jump over the water pit. Athletes must also clear 28 hurdles over the course of the race. The water pit of the steeplechase is on the inside of the eight regular track lanes usually, although sometimes it is placed on the outside of the lanes.
2. Running
The Olympic steeplechase race is a 3000 meter course. This makes the steeplechase a middle-distance event in terms of length. Runners must have the endurance to run the event, combined with the strength and stamina to run while continually clearing hurdles spaced out throughout the race. Other steepling distances include both 1500 meter and a 2000 meter races.
3. Water Jump
The water pit that the athletes have to jump in steeplechases is 3.66 meters long, and 70 centimeters deep. The water pit slopes upward, so that the water in the further end of the pit is shallower.
4. Hurdles
The hurdles in steeplechasing events are different from the regular track and field hurdles. In the men's event, they are .914 meters high, and in the women's, they are .762 meters high. The steeplechase hurdles are solid, so the runner's cannot knock them over. They also have a 5-inch long top to them, so the steeplechasers can actually step on them instead of jumping completely over them. The regular hurdles are 3.94 meters wide, and the hurdle at the water pit is 3.66 meters wide, so more than one runner can easily jump the hurdles at the same time.
5. Rules
The steeplechase begins with a standing start. The athletes cannot begin with their fingers on the ground or positioned in starting blocks. Racers can have one false start, if they have any more they are automatically disqualified. An athlete finishes when their torso crosses the finish line, not their head, arms or legs. During the race, athletes must clear the top of the hurdle without dragging a leg. They also have to go through or over the water, not around it.
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