Eagle County Olympian makes triumphant comeback from an injury she suffered a year ago
The Battle Mountain alumna was running in her first steeplechase since tearing her ACL going over a barrier in a race last May
Jeff Cohen/Courtesy photo
Val Constien sure knows how to make a comeback.
Racing in her first 3,000-meter steeplechase since tearing an ACL in her Diamond League debut 371 days ago, the 2021 Olympian topped an elite field at the Sound Running Track Fest on Saturday at Occidental College in Los Angeles.
“This is like the coolest thing ever to finally be back out here and feeling confident,” the Battle Mountain alumna told assembled media at the World Athletics bronze-level event after finishing in 9 minutes, 27.22 seconds — 13 seconds under the U.S. Olympic trials standard and just four ticks away from the international Olympic standard.
“That’s kind of the beautiful full circle from the water jump a year ago, blowing out my knee, to the last water jump today.”
Constien — who came out of nowhere to make the highly-competitive U.S. women’s Olympic steeplechase squad three years ago — endured injury-riddled, unsponsored seasons in 2021 and 2022. Her U.S. indoor 3,000-meter national title in February of 2023 offered short-lived redemption. A week after securing her first professional contract with Nike that May, the 28-year-old tore her ACL on the second lap of a Diamond League race in Doha, Qatar.
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Dr. Matthew Provencher operated on the steeplechaser on May 23, 2023 at the Steadman Clinic, and the distance runner has chronicled her rehab and recovery on a Youtube vlog ever since. She ran on land for the first time on Sept. 10 and conducted her first steeplechase workout on Feb. 1, 2024.
“It was a long time of just rehab, biking and walking,” Constien told assembled media on Saturday when asked about her recovery process. “But I mean, clearly it paid off. It’s just like, good nutrition, good PT and a great team. So, couldn’t be happier.”
Constien let Kaylee Mitchell set the early tempo of Saturday’s race. Mitchell and Adams State University’s Gracie Hyde, the new NCAA DII record-holder, as well as three-time NCAA DI steeplechase champion Allie Ostrander, clicked off 75-second laps as Constien bided her time. The former Battle Mountain star said she “raced selfishly, just kind of sitting at the back until the last 100.”
“But I think that’s definitely my strong suit,” Constien said. “That’s how I won most of my races and (Mitchell) was kind enough to take the lead. In the championship races it’s going to come down to the last 100, so it was good practice.”
Constien sprung off the last water jump and carved out an impressive two-second gap in the final homestretch.
“I knew they definitely were really close, but I think I just got her in that last water jump — I could push out a little further,” said Constien, who blitzed a 1:08.01 final 400 meters. “And then once I had the inside track, it was just a dead sprint to the end; I just pushed as hard as I could. I wanted to get to the finish line first today.”
Regaining confidence in leaping over immovable barriers was a process, Constien admitted.
“There’s a video on Instagram of my first water jumps and they were pretty pathetic, but honestly it was super traumatizing because the last time I had jumped over a water barrier, I blew out my knee,” she said.
“So, kind of building my confidence up week by week, trusting my coaches, just made a huge difference. I won the race because of my last water jump.”
Constien continues her pursuit of the 2024 Paris Olympic team in two weeks at the prestigious Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. The Nike-sponsored event is annually one of the most star-studded track and field meets in the world, and the women’s steeplechase is no exception.
World-record holder Beatrice Chepkoech and defending Olympic gold medalist Peruth Chemutai lead a deep cast filled with east-African stars. Meanwhile, Constien will get a chance to test herself against two of the top contenders to make the American team at the Olympic Trials (June 21-30 at Hayward Field) in Courtney Wayment and Courtney Frerichs.
“That’s going to be a world-class race,” Constien said.
Constien’s Olympic prospects are looking good after Saturday’s performance, the third-fastest this year by an American. Gabbi Jennings 9:19.59 at the Suzhou Diamond League on April 27 is the top mark, but Crested Butte’s Emma Coburn — the 2017 world champion — broke her ankle in that race and will miss this Olympic cycle. Meanwhile Frerichs (the other member of the 2021 steeplechase team along with Coburn and Constien), hasn’t raced a steeplechase yet this year.
Constien, however, isn’t purchasing plane tickets to Paris yet.
“I’m really happy I’m just healthy enough to be here. … It’s just a really good day. It feels so good,” she said.
“And the story’s not over yet; I have a lot of work to do. Just because I had one good race. … Like, I’ve got to repeat this a couple times to hopefully race at some really big races at the end of the year.”
