New Brunswick

Lalonde breaks Canadian steeplechase record in Shanghai

Moncton runner Genevieve Lalonde achieved a personal best and broke a Canadian record in Shanghai over the weekend.

Lalonde ran the 3,000 metre steeplechase in under 9:30

Canada's Genevieve Lalonde is seen in this file photo at the 2016 Olympic Games. (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Moncton runner Genevieve Lalonde achieved a personal best and broke a Canadian record in Shanghai, China over the weekend.

Lalonde ran the 3,000 metre steeplechase in under nine and a half minutes at the International Association of Athletics Federations Diamond League.

The achievement will set her up well for the coming race season, said Stephanie Doiron, the executive director of Athletics New Brunswick.

"This is her first outdoor competition for the start of the summer season so this is really, really good news or indicates that she's still in really great shape and should be on track to do even better and qualify for the next Olympic games," she said.

Lalonde came under the qualifying time for the Olympics, which is nine minutes and 30 seconds.

"She just got 9:29:82 so she was just under the standard and the standards are incredibly difficult. I mean, this is the national record that she just did," Doiron said.

Lalonde finished the race in seventh place.

Lalonde could not be reached for comment.