Jessie Petersen is still a relative novice when it comes to the steeplechase.
In sports, however, few things trump sheer athleticism and hard work, and Petersen is Exhibit A in that regard.
Competing in the steeplechase for just the fourth time in her career, the incoming Carlmont High senior blew away the field to win the event two weeks ago at the AAU Track and Field Junior Olympic Games on the campus of Norfolk State University in Virginia.
Competing for track club RF United, Petersen won the 2,000-meter steeplechase in the young women’s division in a personal-best time of 7 minutes, 11.79 seconds. How dominant was Petersen? Oteia Prince of Tennessee was a distant second, nearly 35 seconds behind.
Petersen has three firsts and one second-place finish to her credit in the event, with the runner-up finish coming at last summer’s Junior Olympics in Des Moines, Iowa. Petersen was elated with her performance, especially when you consider the fact that she only trains — for a couple of weeks, tops — for the steeplechase during the summer club season.
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Well done! Steeple is about the coolest race to watch among the middle distance events. FYI, at the USATF Nationals in Sacramento, EBAL's own Natalie Dimits, at age 15, finished the 2k steeple in 7:23.55 in her second time running the race, the first time being JO qualifiers 2 weeks prior.
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