One of the less popular events, particularly amongst masters, the steeplechase been an Olympic event since 1896. The event distance varied from 2500m to 4000m until 1920 when it settled on 3000m for men. (Except for the 1932 Olympics when a lap scoring error meant everyone ran an extra lap for an additional 460m!).
Women contested the 3000m steeplechase from the 2008 Olympics. At the World Masters Athletics Champs, the event only became available to women from 1989.
There are two separate steeplechase events contested by masters. Women and men aged 60 and over race 2000m over steeples that are 0.762m high. The younger men race 3000m with hurdles of 0.914m. The 2000m distance was only introduced in the 1980s.
Electronic times are preferred but not required, with the proviso that hand times require three watch readings. Where it is not readily evident that a historical hand timed record or electronic time is faster, both will be listed. [I believe any time given with a single decimal is hand timed but unless marked it is not explicitly expressed.] Lap scoring sheets are required to be submitted with record applications for events 3000m and above.
| Wellington | North Island Champs | South Island Champs | NZMA Champs | NZ National | Oceania Champs | World | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M35 3000m | 9:46.5 Colin Morris | 11:04.67 Mathew Rogers (2018) | 12:10.07 David O’Sullivan (2018) | 10:22.88 Mathew Rogers (2017) | 10:06.38 Mathew Rogers (2018) | 9:48.8 Bruce Meder NZL (1990) | 8:04.95 Simon Vroemen NED (2004) |
| M40 3000m | 9:59.14 Stephen Day (2015) | 10:58:54 Andrew Davenport (2009) | no record | 9:27.1 JD Macdonald (1975) | 9:14.4 JD Macdonald (1977) | 9:37.3 Euan Robertson NZL (1990) | 8:38.40 Angelo Carosi ITA (2004) |
| M45 3000m | 10:32.85 Stephen Day (2022) | 11:27:43 Andrew Davenport (2016) | no record | 9:27.22 Ron Robertson (1987) | 9:22.3 JD Macdonald (1980) | 9:51.4 Ron Robertson NZL (1990) | 9:06.68 Brad Barton USA (2014) |
| M50 3000m | 10:43.73 Peter Stevens(2018) | 11:35.31 Michael Wray (2017) | 11:41.23 Mike Morrisey (2006) | 9:44.0 Ron Robertson (1992) | 9:43.97 Ron Robertson (1991) | 10:44.0 Alan Bradford AUS (1992) | 9:38.8 Nils Undersaker NOR (1989) |
| M55 3000m | 11:05.61 Peter Stevens(2020) | 12:24.34 Gavin Smith (2012) | 12:46.04 Tim Cross (2016) | 9:59.8 Ron Robertson (1997) | 9:55.05 Ron Robertson (1997) | 10:11.6 Ron Robertson NZL (1998) | 9:55.05 Ron Robertson NZL (1997) |
| M60 2000m | 7:54.29 John Eccles | 7:24.87 Trevor Ogilvie (2008) | 8:28.80 Tim Cross (2020) | 7:14.27 Walter Hume (1999) | 6:30.21 Ron Robertson (2001) | 7:13.03 Trevor Ogilvie NZL (2012) | 6:30.21 Ron Robertson NZL (2001) |
| M65 2000m | 7:53.00 John Eccles | 7:42.32 Ron Robertson (2009) | 9:02.0 Ian Brownie (1995) | 7:33.36 Ron Robertson (2009) | 7:18.10 Ron Robertson (2008) | 7:18.10 Ron Robertson NZL (2008) | 7:10.25 Francisco Aragon Munoz ESP (2021) |
| M70 2000m | 8:39.20 John Eccles | 8:18.69 John Downey (2000) | 8.56.04 Michael Bond (2014) | 8:22.04 John Downey (2001) | 7:10.03 Ron Robertson (2011) | 8:25.78 Peter Sandery AUS (2012) | 7:10.03 Ron Robertson NZL (2011) |
| M75 2000m | 9:59.0 John Eccles | 12:32.72 Dave Eastmond (2013) | 12:12.83 Evan MacIntosh (2023*) *2022 Champs held in calendar year 2023 | 9:43.56 Michael Bond (2019) | 9:40.42 Dave Eastmond (2015) | 9:40.42 Dave Eastmond NZL (2015) | 8:29.26 Jose V Rioseco Lopez ESP (2019) |
| M80 2000m | 13:54.99 Peter Hanson (2017) | 12:33.58 Dave Eastmond (2018) | no record | 11:48.22 Jim Jamieson (1989) | 11:48.22 Jim Jamieson (1989) | 11:20.46 Michael Juckes AUS (2019) | 9:35.1 David Carr AUS (2013) |
| M85 2000m | no record | no record | no record | no record | no record | 16:02.95 Colin Silock-Delaney AUS (2019) | 10:53.3 David Carr AUS (2017) |
| M90 2000m | no record | no record | no record | no record | no record | no record | 12:26.57 David Carr AUS (2022) |
| Wellington | North Island Champs | South Island Champs | NZMA Champs | NZ National | Oceania Champs | World | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W35 2000m | 7:47.36 Vicki Humphries | 7:48.5 Karen Green (1994) | 7:44.2 Claire Doris (2003) | 7:19.88 S Taylor (1993) | 7:19.88 S Taylor (1993) | 7:48.0 Vicky Adams NZL (1992) | 6:27.11 Victoria Mitchell AUS (2017) |
| W40 2000m | 8:01 88 Michelle Van Looy (2015) | 8:17.31 Andrea Williams (2011) | 9:17.0 Lynn Donaldson (1989) | 7:39.42 Karen Gillum-Green (2001) | 7:37.90 Karen Gillum-Green (2001) | 7:17.92 Suzy Cole AUS (2012) | 6:49.58 Lisa Ryan USA (2011) |
| W45 2000m | 8:10.5 Judith Stewart | 8:11.0 Judith Stewart (1998*) *1997 Champs held in calendar year 1998 | 8:25.8 Margaret Orman (1989) | 7:52.8h Margaret Orman (1991) | 7:38.08 Margaret Orman (1991) | 7:51.3 Judith Stewart NZL (1998) | 6:51.51 Minori Hayakari JPN (2018) |
| W50 2000m | 9:11.24 Michelle van Looy (2024) | 8:47.4 Vicky Adams (2005) | no record | 7:43.99 Margaret Orman (1993) | 7:43.99 Margaret Orman (1993) | 8:12.1 Margaret Orman NZL (1994) | 7:42.04 Marie Bodilis-Loaec FRA (2011) |
| W55 2000m | 9:29.8 T Brown | 11:13.91 Terri Grimmett (2015) | 8:33.7 Loris Reed (2004) | 8:13.4h Margaret Orman (1997) | 7:58.43 Margaret Orman (1997) | 8:34.8 Loris Reed NZL (2004) | 7:51.91 Lisa Margaret Thomas GBR (2021) |
| W60 2000m | 11:32.28 F McCracken | 11:38.11 Fay Riley (2003) | 9:15.07 Loris Reed (2010) | 8:58.09 Loris Reed (2010) | 8:45.43 Loris Reed (2008) | 9:28.99 Margaret Saunders AUS (2014) | 8:37.34 Kathryn Martin USA (2014) |
| W65 2000m | 9:18.61 Michele Allison (2020) | 11:33.15 Dawn Cumming (2000) | 9:20.23 Loris Reed (2012) | 9:37.70 Loris Reed (2016) | 9:18.61 Michele Allison (2020) | 9:29.52 Margaret Saunders AUS (2019) | 8:52.49 Kathryn Martin USA (2017) |
| W70 2000m | no record | 11:54.01 Dawn Cumming (2007) | 9:43.19 Loris Reed (2017) | 10:28.35 Loris Reed (2020) | 9:43.19 Loris Reed (2017) | 10:03.49 Gillian Young AUS (2018) | 9:46.79 Marlene Anne Gourlay AUS (2022) |
| W75 2000m | no record | 13:00.62 Dawn Cumming (2011) | no record | 12:12.84 Dawn Cumming (2010) | 12:03.04 Dawn Cumming (2009) | 13:35.8 Clasina van der Veeken NZL (2008) | 11:14.17 Gillian Young AUS (2023) |
| W80 2000m | no record | 15:26.37 Clasina van der Veeken (2013) | no record | 14:47.28 Clasina van der Veeken (2012) | 14:47.28 Clasina van der Veeken (2012) | 14:57.42 Clasina van der Veeken NZL (2012) | 13:38.34 Anne Martin GBR (2016) |
| W85 2000m | no record | no record | no record | no record | 18:30.80 Clasina van der Veeken (2016) | no record | 16:55.73 Anne Martin GBR (2022) |