Athletics at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's 3000 metres steeplechase

Women's 3000 metres steeplechase at the Games of the XXX Olympiad
3000 meters steeple final on 6 August
Venue	Olympic Stadium
Date	4–6 August
Competitors	44 from 26 nations
Winning time	9:08.37
Medalists
01 ! Habiba Ghribi  Tunisia 02 ! Sofia Assefa  Ethiopia 03 ! Milcah Chemos Cheywa  Kenya
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01 !		Habiba Ghribi	Tunisia
02 !		Sofia Assefa	Ethiopia
03 !		Milcah Chemos Cheywa	Kenya

The Women's 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2012 Summer Olympics took place on 4–6 August at the Olympic Stadium.

From the gun in the final, reigning world champion Yuliya Zaripova sprinted out to the lead and dictated the pace. But rather than continuing to accelerate, she slowed, with the rest of the field bunching behind with nobody willing to go around. The pack slowly disintegrated by attrition. With 3 laps to go a group of seven had separated, including all three Ethiopians, plus Milcah Chemos Cheywa, Mercy Wanjiku Njoroge and Habiba Ghribi, all still behind Zaripova. On the 6th lap, defending champion and World Record holder Gulnara Galkina, already off the back, made a right turn and stepped off the track. The pace quickened, losing Etenesh Diro and Njoroge at the water jump. Zaripova just continued to accelerate. On the back stretch Ghribi looked to be clear of the other three but almost put her hand out so as not to pass Zaripova. From that point, Zaripova just extended her lead with Ghribi clearly in second place. Sofia Assefa broke away from her teammate Hiwot Ayalew. Down the home stretch Cheywa made a late run but Assefa held on for the bronze medal.Compared to the previous year's world championships, the first two medalists were the same, Zaripova a second faster for her personal record, Ghribi was 3 seconds faster for her Tunisian national record, and Assefa 19 seconds faster to push Cheywa off the podium.