That`s just the way it goes when you already own the fastest time in American history.

The University of Colorado star shattered her American record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase by nearly 10 seconds on Monday. Barringer clocked 9 minutes, 12.50 seconds at the IAAF World Championships to finish fifth.

Spain`s Marta Dominguez won the race in 9:07.32, which is the best time recorded this season.

"The race, I`m a little sad. The time, I`m like, 'Wow.` I`m stoked," Barringer said. "I`m really happy about the time. I knew I had it in me. This is a place to pop this kind of PR. I`m really pleased with the time."

For the first time in a race this season, Barringer never had a lead and even fell to the back of the pack. With three laps remaining, she was 11th out of 15.

But Barringer, a two-time USA Track & Field and four-time NCAA Champion, continued to push herself. With two laps to go she started to move back up and by the start of the final lap she was eighth. The gap between her and the top seven was about 25 meters.

"She was pretty far back, but she is smart and was on splits that were good for her, and she trusted that there would be victims of the early pace, which there were," Colorado coach Mark Wetmore said. "She closed hard and it`s a style that she really enjoys. Her last kilometer was about 3:01, which is really fast. She 'PRed` by 10 seconds and we are thrilled."

In the final 300 meters, Barringer fought her way past Kenyans Gladys Jerotich Kipkemoi (9:14.62, eighth) and then Ruth Bisibori Nyanqau (9:13.16, seventh). Barringer was able to lunge past Tunisia`s Habiba Ghribi at the line by .02 seconds for fifth place.

"My actual finish down the straightaway is something I`m proud of," Barringer said. "That kick isn`t going anywhere."

That kick allowed Barringer to surpass her previous American, CU and personal record -- 9:22.26 set at 2008 Olympics in Beijing -- by 9.76 seconds.

Monday`s race was Barringer`s final as a member of the CU track and field team. However, she is returning to Boulder next week for her final cross country season with the Buffs before graduating in December.

"This is officially the start of cross country season for me," she said. "I can`t wait. I`m coming back and I`m so excited to see my teammates."

A former Buff also paced the Americans on Monday. Dathan Ritzenhein placed sixth in the 10,000-meter run with a personal best time of 27:22.28.

"Doing the marathon the last three years teaches you how to grind it out," he said.

Ritzenhein`s time is the best ever by an American in the 10K at a World Outdoor Championships, easily bettering Abdi Abdirahman`s 27:52.01 from the 2005 Worlds in Finland.

Ritzenhein`s time makes him the fourth-fastest American in the event behind only Meb Keflezighi, Abdi Abdirahman and Mark Nenow.

CU assistant coach Casey Malone will participate in the discus at the World Championships today.

World Championships

Berlin

Top 10 in finals only

MEN

10,000 -- 1, Kenenisa Bekele, Ethiopia, 26:46.31. 2, Zersenay Tadese, Eritrea, 26:50.12. 3, Moses Ndiema Masai, Kenya, 26:57.39. 4, Imane Merga, Ethiopia, 27:15.94. 5, Bernard Kiprop Kipyego, Kenya, 27:18.47. 6, Dathan Ritzenhein, United States, 27:22.28. 7, Micah Kipkemboi Kogo, Kenya, 27:26.33. 8, Galen Rupp, United States, 27:37.99. 9, Kidane Tadasse, Eritrea, 27:41.50. 10, Gebre-egziabher Gebremariam, Ethiopia, 27:44.04.

Hammer Throw -- 1, Primoz Kozmus, Slovenia, 265-3. 2, Szymon Ziolkowski, Poland, 260-2. 3, Aleksey Zagornyi, Russia, 256-2. 4, Krisztian Pars, Hungary, 254-1. 5, Sergej Litvinov, Germany, 251-3. 6, Markus Esser, Germany, 250-2. 7, Andras Haklits, Croatia, 250-2. 8, Pavel Kryvitski, Belarus, 249-4. 9, Nicola Vizzoni, Italy, 241-9. 10, Libor Charfreitag, Slovakia, 238-3. 11, Dilshod Nazarov, Tajikistan, 235-2. Igor Vinichenko, Russia, NM.

WOMEN

100 -- 1, Shelly-Ann Fraser, Jamaica, 10.73. 2, Kerron Stewart, Jamaica, 10.75. 3, Carmelita Jeter, United States, 10.90. 4, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Jamaica, 10.95. 5, Lauryn Williams, United States, 11.01. 6, Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie, Bahamas, 11.05. 7, Chandra Sturrup, Bahamas, 11.05. 8, Aleen Bailey, Jamaica, 11.16.

3,000 Steeplechase -- 1, Marta Dominguez, Spain, 9:07.32. 2, Yuliya Zarudneva, Russia, 9:08.39. 3, Milcah Chemos Cheywa, Kenya, 9:08.57. 4, Gulnara Galkina, Russia, 9:11.09. 5, Jennifer Barringer, United States, 9:12.50. 6, Habiba Ghribi, Tunisia, 9:12.52, 7, Ruth Bisibori Nyangau, Kenya, 9:13.16. 8, Gladys Jerotich Kipkemoi, Kenya, 9:14.62. 9, Antje Moldner, Germany, 9:18.54. 10, Zemzem Ahmed, Ethiopia, 9:22.64.

Pole Vault -- 1, Anna Rogowska, Poland, 15-7. 2 (tie), Monika Pyrek, Poland, and Chelsea Johnson, United States, 15-3. 4, Silke Spiegelburg, Germany, 15-3. 5, Fabiana Murer, Brazil, 14-11. 6, Kate Dennison, Britain, 14-11. 7 (tie), Anna Battke, Germany, and Tatyana Polnova, Russia, 14-5¼. 9, Aleksandra Kiryashova, Russia, 14-5¼. 10, Kristina Gadschiew, Germany, 14-5¼.

Triple Jump -- 1, Yargeris Savigne, Cuba, 49-03/4. 2, Mabel Gay, Cuba, 47-11¼. 3, Anna Pyatykh, Russia, 47-10. 4, Biljana Topic, Serbia, 47-73/4. 5 Trecia Smith, Jamaica, 47-6¼. 6, Tatyana Lebedeva, Russia, 47-13/4. 7 Cristina Bujin, Romania, 46-9½. 8, Dana Veldakova, Slovakia, 46-9. 9, Limei Xie, China, 46-5½. 10 Olga Rypakova, Kazakhstan, 45-73/4.