Barrier Breakthrough | Cara Feain-Ryan Hits 2023 World Championships in Form

The art of the steeplechase and its inevitable chaos is one that Cara Feain-Ryan is still refining, but with a World University Games gold medal in her pocket and an Australian legend in her corner, the 24-year-old is out to deliver the breakthrough barrier in Budapest. 

Feain-Ryan’s rise to prominence has been a picture of patience and persistence. In an event that demands time, the Queenslander has devoted a decade. A glance at the numbers suggests that the steeplechaser has stagnated, but a look at the performances reveals a gold rush of progress. 

2023 has been a winning year for Feain-Ryan who gritted her teeth when racing to an eventful maiden Australian 3000m steeplechase title in April, before the World University Games delivered everything and more. Racing in Chengdu, China the Australian shifted through the gears in the closing lap to clinch victory from the jaws of defeat – bolstering her confidence ahead of the 2023 World Athletics Championships. 

“I didn’t stop smiling and haven’t stopped, it’s not something I imagined I would do. Any time you win a race is exciting, that’s always the aim, but you don’t always get to win, so there was a lot of happiness,” Feain-Ryan said. 

“The Turkish athlete pushed really hard when she went to the front and I knew it was a really tough pace that I wasn’t going to hold… When I saw how much she slowed down I was like, okay, maybe I can catch her. Then when I went past her, the crowd really got so involved and to know, hopefully, they were all cheering for me - it was really cool.”

Under the tutelage of Ben Norton, Feain-Ryan clocked a career-best run of 9:36.35 in 2021, but finds herself lining up for a second consecutive World Championships with a renewed sense of competitiveness, knocking on the door of new territory on the eve of an Olympic year.  

“Last year, I was just really excited to make my first team [Eugene World Championships] whereas in the past 12 months, I’ve worked hard to take that step to be a lot more competitive and hopefully that shows. It did at the World University Games, so hopefully I can carry that momentum into World Championships and then hopefully the Olympics as well,” Feain-Ryan said. 

“You get to keep the focus and the energy going from one team to the next and bring lots of positive experience into the second camp as well. Everyone is here to push themselves for that and big competition. To get to do it twice, back to back, is really exciting.”
 
Feain-Ryan’s Olympic dream has been aided by Australian record holder and three-time Olympian Genevieve Gregson, with the pair linking up out of their Brisbane training base to ensure the nation’s steepling legacy rolls on for years to come despite Gregson’s transition to the roads. 
 
“It’s been honestly amazing. To have someone I can look up to and ask questions of, Gen is really great at helping younger athlete. Particularly in her own event because she loves the steeplechase,” Feain-Ryan said. 

“Getting to tap into her wealth of knowledge has been really good and has helped me take a step up in my training. I’ve learned a lot from her in workouts, like toughing it out even when you don’t feel good. Even her approach to training and racing, putting the weeks together and trying to stay positive.” 
 
Australia will field a trio of women in the 3000m Steeplechase for the second consecutive year, with Feain-Ryan to be joined by Olympian Amy Cashin and Brielle Erbacher in the Women’s 3000m Steeplechase, with the Heats to be run on Day 5 (August 23) in Budapest. 

Athletics fans can catch every session of the 2023 World Athletics Championships from August 19-27 live and free on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand, with a full viewing schedule to be found HERE.

By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted: 15/8/2023