Valerie Constien

Valerie Constien
Constien at the 2024 United States Olympic trials
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born (1996-03-21) March 21, 1996 (age 28)
Edwards, Colorado, U.S.
Height5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
Sport
SportTrack and field
Event(s)3000 m steeplechase, Mile
College teamColorado Buffaloes
ClubNike
Coached byMark Wetmore, Heather Burroughs
Achievements and titles
Personal bests

Valerie Constien (born March 21, 1996) is an American track and field athlete and two-time Olympian.

Career

Constien is from Vail, Colorado and a 2014 graduate of Battle Mountain High School. She attended the University of Colorado following high school in the hope of being an environmental engineer.[1] Constein competes for the Tracksmith Amateur Support Program while being coached by Mark Wetmore and Heather Burroughs. In 2015, Constein ran at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Qingzhen, Guiyang finishing 62nd.[2]

Constien finished third on June 24, 2021 in the 3000m steeplechase at the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon behind Emma Coburn and Courtney Frerichs to secure her place at the delayed 2020 Summer Games. The race went to form as Constien was the United States’ third-fastest steeplechaser heading into the Olympic Trials with a personal best of 9:25.[3] She also set a new personal best of 9:18.34 in the race.[4] Constein qualified for the final at the Olympics in Tokyo and finished twelfth.[5]

In 2023, Constien won the US national indoor 3000m title in Albuquerque, New Mexico.[6] In April 2023, Constien signed a sponsorship deal with Nike.[7] Unfortunately for Constien, competing at the 2023 Diamond League event in Doha in May 2023, she suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury which required surgery.[8]

In 2024, Constien qualified for the Olympic Games in Paris by winning the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 3000 meters steeplechase.[9] Competing in Paris in the 3000m steeplechase, she qualified for the final, and placed 15th overall.[10]

References

  1. ^ LaConte, John. "Battle Mountain graduate Val Constien makes Olympic team". www.vaildaily.com.
  2. ^ "Sport Interview - Valerie Constien". Environmental Engineering Program. March 20, 2015.
  3. ^ "Tracksmith's Valerie Constien Is Ready To Shake Up The U.S. Olympic Trials Steeplechase". Citius Mag.
  4. ^ Dutch, Taylor. "2021 Olympic Trials - Emma Coburn Wins Women's Steeplechase". www.runnersworld.com.
  5. ^ Sederquist, Ryan (April 27, 2023). "Fracture Friday: Val Constien is back". vaildaily. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  6. ^ Sederquist, Ryan (February 21, 2023). "No sponsor? No problem: Val Constien wins 3,000-meter run title at USATF indoor national championships wearing University of Colorado singlet". vaildaily.com. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  7. ^ "Val Constein signs with Nike". citius. April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  8. ^ Sederquist, Ryan (May 25, 2023). "Val Constien learns injury from Diamond League event worse than expected". vaildaily. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  9. ^ "Results". results.usatf.org. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  10. ^ "Women's 3000m Steeplechase Results - Paris Olympic Games 2024 Athletics". Watch Athletics. August 6, 2024. Retrieved August 30, 2024.