HEUSDEN-ZOLDER, Belgium - University of Colorado Olympian Jenny Barringer set the American record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase Sunday at the KBC Nacht meet.

Barringer won the race in 9 minutes, 22.73 seconds, eclipsing the old record of 9:27.75, set by Barringer's Olympic teammate, Anna Willard, two weeks ago at the U.S. Olympic trails.

"It was exciting to come to a huge internationally renowned race and have the Americans at the top," Barringer said.

Barringer, whose previous steeplechase best was 9:29.90, beat Willard in Sunday's race, passing her at the finish for the win. Willard finished in 9:22.76.

"The pressure from the trials was off, so having the dream of me being an Olympian was realized," Barringer said. "I didn't have the pressure of leading the race this time. It (the race) felt good. I kicked really hard at the end and it ended up working out."

Sunday's race was the final tuneup for Barringer before the Beijing Olympics. The steeplechase preliminaries are Aug. 15, with the finals set for Aug. 17.

"This is a great race to come off of and into China," she said. "There were other Olympians here and that was a good warm-up racing against them."

Barringer now owns the U.S., the NCAA and the collegiate records in the steeplechase.

Recent CU grad Billy Nelson, also an Olympian, finished seventh in the men's steeplechase in Sunday's race, clocking 8:21.50.

The men's steeplechase preliminaries are Aug. 16 and the finals are Aug. 18