Leah Falland
Leah Falland is an American steeplechase runner and NCAA [Division I Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships|NCAA DI indoor track and field championships] record holder in the mile run.
Biography
O'Connor was raised in Croswell, Michigan where she first learned to run on her family farm. She attended Croswell-Lexington High School and was state champion in the 800 m and 1600 m.She competed collegiately for the Michigan State Spartans track and field and cross country teams starting in 2011, and qualified for the NCAA Division I Women's [Outdoor Track and Field Championships] every year from 2012 to 2015.
Her best NCAA finishes were 1st in the steeplechase at the 2014 [NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships], and 1st at the 2015 NCAA Indoor championships mile run in a championship record time of 4:27.18.
O'Connor competed in the 2016 [United States Olympic Trials |2016 United States Olympic Trials], where she won her semi-final of the women's steeplechase despite competing with a torn plantar fascia. She was 14th in the final the next day. In 2018, Falland set the Drake Relays record in the steeplechase with a time of 9:32.23.
At the 2021 [United States Olympic trials |2021 United States Olympic trials], Falland tripped and fell in the steeplechase final, finishing 9th and failing again to qualify for the Olympic team.
From August 2020 to October 2022, Falland was a member of the professional training group On Athletics Club and was coached by Dathan Ritzenhein.