TAMPERE, Finland — High Point University track and field rising sophomore Famke Heinst finished 16th in the 3,000m steeplechase at the IAAF World U20 Championships Tuesday morning (July 10) in Tampere, Finland.
Heinst, representing The Netherlands, just missed qualifying for the finals by placing 16th overall in a time of 10:12.42. The top three from each of the three heats and the next six-fastest times qualified for the finals. Heinst placed eighth in the first heat.
“I never would have been able to make the team without (HPU) Coach (Remy) Tamer recognizing me as potential steeplechaser, because I had never done a steeple race before in The Netherlands,” Heinst said. “Therefore I’m really really excited that I made the world junior team especially since it was kind of surprising that I made the team in a new event for me.”
Heinst was named the Big South Runner of the Year during her freshman campaign for the Purple & White. She was voted the Outstanding Women’s Track Performer at the 2018 Big South Outdoor Track & Field Championships, and was both the Big South Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Year and Freshman of the Year after winning the individual title at the conference meet in a time of 17:55.1. Heinst won six total Big South crowns in 2017-18, including the Indoor Track & Field mile and 3,000m, plus the Outdoor Track & Field 1,500m, 3,000m Steeplechase and 5,000m.