The women's 3000m steeplechase was surprisingly won by American Emma Coburn at the World Athletics Championships in London on Friday night. Coburn went into the championships as the fifth fastest in the world this year.
Coburn's cause was aided by a major early mishap from one of the other main contenders - Beatrice Chepkoech. The Kenyan went to London as the third fastest in the world. Just her compatriots Celliphine Chespol and Hyvin Kiyeng Jepkemoi were faster this year.
As the field may its way to take the water jump for the first time, Chepkoech somehow forgot that it was part of the race.
In a bizarre moment of the #IAAFWorlds Chepkoech inexplicably misses the waterjump in the steeplechase final & has to run BACK to retake it.
— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) August 11, 2017
Her moment of absent mindedness meant she had to backtrack. Though she would catch up with the field once again, Chepkoech would then fall at another obstacle, taking some other athletes down with her.
Remarkably, the 26-year-old would find herself in contention on the final lap. Though, she did fade prior to the final water jump allowing Coburn and fellow American Courtney Frerichs to take gold and silver respectively. Jepkemoi would take the bronze with Chepkoech ultimately finishing in fourth.
