BEIJING -- Greenwood's Anna Willard finished 10th in the Summer Olympics inaugural 3,000-meter steeplechase Sunday night at National Stadium.

Starting on the outside, Willard tried to keep pace with the leaders, but fell behind quickly as they set a world record pace.

Russia's Gulnara Galkina-Samitova became the first woman to break 9:00, running the race in 8:58.81.

Willard finished 10th in 9:25:63. Fellow American Jenn Barringer was ninth, setting an American record in 9:22.26. Willard had set the record (9:27.59) back on July 3.

Fifteen runners began the Olympics first women's steeplechase and 14 finished.

Willard, while disappointed in her finish, was pleased with everything else.

"I mean this season been great,'' she said. " It was my goal to go from not making the final in (the world championships in) Osaka to definitely making the final here. So I guess in the whole scheme of things I accomplished that goal and hopefully next year in the worlds, I'll do a little bit better than (10th).''