One year ago, Colorado alum and Tokyo Olympian Valerie Constien started walking after tearing an ACL in May 2023.
After going through an extensive rehabilitation program, Constien roared.
ALL. THE. WAY. BACK.
She returned to her first national championship at either the collegiate or professional level by winning the women’s steeplechase at the US Olympic Track & Field Trials Thursday night at Hayward Field in Eugene.
After entering Colorado in the 2014-15 school year, Constien, an All-American for the Buffaloes in cross country and track, never won an NCAA or USA title in the steeple. Her best placing in the steeple was fifth, and as a pro, third at the 2021 Olympic trials (she did win the 2023 indoor 3000 title).
Like Monday’s men’s 1500-meter final, the women’s steeplechase final was fast. Annie Rodenfels pushed the race from the start, building a four-second lead on the field by the three-minute mark.
The field whittled her lead away and caught her with three laps to go, and then the real racing started.
A pack of four—eventual winner Constien, Notre Dame grad Olivia Markezich, second-place finisher Courtney Wayment, an alumnus of Brigham Young, and Boise State grad Marisa Howard—broke from the rest of the field.
Just before the bell, Howard, who attended Pasco High School in southwest Washington, surged in hopes of stealing the race from the other three. Markezich attended Bear Creek School in the Seattle suburb of Redmond before graduating from Notre Dame and went with Howard.
Just before entering the backstretch for the final time, Constein countered Howard’s surge with her own and carried it to the finish line, taking the win in a meet record and personal best of 9:03.22.
Markezich, who had an advantage of a step, stumbled slightly and may have hit her foot on the inside railing of the track. Afterward, she said she lost her form due to lactic acid buildup in her body from the fast pace.
That was the opening that Howard and Wayment needed as Markezich tried to regain momentum.
Howard and Wayment cleared the final barrier cleanly while Markezich stumbled and fell onto the track. Wayment’s momentum gave her an advantage over Howard, who finished second in 9:06.50 and third in 9:07.14.
A stunned Markezich picked herself up after being passed by Gabbi Jennings (9:12.08), and former Oregon State All-American Kaylee Mitchell (9:14.05), as Markezich finished sixth in 9:14.87.
In the mixed zone…
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