The Russian steeplechase team entered for the event was particularly strong, featuring world record holder and Olympic champion Gulnara Galkina, defending world champion Yekaterina Volkova, and third fastest of the year Yuliya Zarudneva.
[1] On the first day of competition, Galkina won heat one, with Germany's Antje Möldner finishing not far behind with a national record-breaking run.
African athletes Zemzem Ahmed and Gladys Kipkemoi shared the winning time in the second heat, a race which saw the defending champion Volkova eliminated from the competition.
Zarudneva held on for the silver medal and Milcah Chemos Cheywa, a Kenyan newcomer, took the bronze, both athletes with a personal best.
[4] Earlier in 2015, silver medalist Yuliya Zarudneva (now known as Zaripova) received a doping ban that did not backdate to the 2009 World Championships,[5] therefore Zarudneva was not advanced to gold Milcha Chemos Cheywa Kenya (KEN) Qualification: First 4 in each heat (Q) and the next 3 fastest (q) advance to the final.