Which track event features barriers and water jumps?

The story behind the answer

The track event featuring barriers and water jumps is the steeplechase.

The standard modern version is the 3000 metres steeplechase. Athletes run over fixed barriers and negotiate a water jump during the race, combining the endurance of a distance event with repeated obstacle clearances. Unlike ordinary hurdles, the steeplechase barriers are designed not to be knocked down.

A 3000-metre race contains 28 barriers and seven water jumps. The 2000-metre version uses 18 barriers and five water jumps. The event takes its name from horse steeplechasing, in which riders raced toward a visible church steeple while crossing natural obstacles such as fences and streams. It is distinct from the 400-metre hurdles, which uses movable hurdles and no water pit.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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