Three Buffs Ready For World Championships
July 13, 2022 | Track and Field
BOULDER – The University of Colorado track and field program will have three alumni compete at the 2022 World Athletics Championships starting this Saturday in Eugene.
The World Championships is the first in the United States and will feature more than 2,000 athletes from around the world in 49 events across 10 days.
Colorado has three former Buffs competing after winning their respected nation's championships. Emma Coburn will lead the way in the women's steeplechase after picking up her 10th US Steeplechase title in June, along with Joe Klecker who won his first US title in the men's 10,000 in May and Gabby Scott who won the Puerto Rico National Championship in the women's 400-meter dash.
Klecker is ranked 207th in the world this season in the 10,000 and 40th amongst US athletes based on time, but made the most of the US Championships and kicked out the World leader in the 10,000, Grant Fisher, in the last 10 meters of the race. Despite his low ranking, Klecker's personal best from May of 2021 of 27:23.44 would rank him third in the US this year and 15th in the world. Less than a year ago, Klecker finished 16th at the 2020 Olympics in Japan.
Coburn is ranked eighth in the world this season coming off her 10th US title where she defeated the 2020 Olympic silver medalist. Coburn is second in US history in the event after Courtney Frerichs reset the American record at the Olympics as she became the first US woman to go under the nine-minute barrier at 8:57.77. This season two women have ran under nine minutes.
The World Championships have been Coburn's bread-and-butter, winning the World title in 2017 and finishing second in 2019. She also has an Olympic bronze medal from 2016 to add to her collection.
Scott is 30th in the world this season after running 50.97 in Geneve this season. She is the top-ranked Puerto Rican this season, claiming the Puerto Rican National title a week before dipping below 51 seconds for the first time. In nine races this season, Scott has gone under 52 seconds six times.
Coburn will start things out for the Buffs Saturday at 11:35 a.m. MT in the steeplechase prelims. The other two Buffs will compete Sunday morning with Scott in the women's 400 first round at 12 p.m. MT followed immediately by Klecker in the 10,000 final at 1 p.m. MT. For the women, the steeplechase finals with be at 8:45 p.m. MT on Wednesday, while the 400 semifinals are right before Wednesday at 7:45 p.m. MT. The finals for the women's 400 is Friday at 8:15 p.m. MT.
Sunday's events will be televised between 2 and 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC, and Wednesday's semifinals and steeplechase finals will be on the USA Network. Sunday's two events can be caught an hour earlier on Peacock and NBCSports.com, both of which will also feature Wednesday's events.
The World Championships is the first in the United States and will feature more than 2,000 athletes from around the world in 49 events across 10 days.
Colorado has three former Buffs competing after winning their respected nation's championships. Emma Coburn will lead the way in the women's steeplechase after picking up her 10th US Steeplechase title in June, along with Joe Klecker who won his first US title in the men's 10,000 in May and Gabby Scott who won the Puerto Rico National Championship in the women's 400-meter dash.
Klecker is ranked 207th in the world this season in the 10,000 and 40th amongst US athletes based on time, but made the most of the US Championships and kicked out the World leader in the 10,000, Grant Fisher, in the last 10 meters of the race. Despite his low ranking, Klecker's personal best from May of 2021 of 27:23.44 would rank him third in the US this year and 15th in the world. Less than a year ago, Klecker finished 16th at the 2020 Olympics in Japan.
Coburn is ranked eighth in the world this season coming off her 10th US title where she defeated the 2020 Olympic silver medalist. Coburn is second in US history in the event after Courtney Frerichs reset the American record at the Olympics as she became the first US woman to go under the nine-minute barrier at 8:57.77. This season two women have ran under nine minutes.
The World Championships have been Coburn's bread-and-butter, winning the World title in 2017 and finishing second in 2019. She also has an Olympic bronze medal from 2016 to add to her collection.
Scott is 30th in the world this season after running 50.97 in Geneve this season. She is the top-ranked Puerto Rican this season, claiming the Puerto Rican National title a week before dipping below 51 seconds for the first time. In nine races this season, Scott has gone under 52 seconds six times.
Coburn will start things out for the Buffs Saturday at 11:35 a.m. MT in the steeplechase prelims. The other two Buffs will compete Sunday morning with Scott in the women's 400 first round at 12 p.m. MT followed immediately by Klecker in the 10,000 final at 1 p.m. MT. For the women, the steeplechase finals with be at 8:45 p.m. MT on Wednesday, while the 400 semifinals are right before Wednesday at 7:45 p.m. MT. The finals for the women's 400 is Friday at 8:15 p.m. MT.
Sunday's events will be televised between 2 and 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC, and Wednesday's semifinals and steeplechase finals will be on the USA Network. Sunday's two events can be caught an hour earlier on Peacock and NBCSports.com, both of which will also feature Wednesday's events.