Beijing: Indian middle and long distance runner Lalita Babar continued her impressive run this year to break the national record and qualify for the women's 3,000 metres steeplechase final at the World Athletics Championships here on Monday.

In the heats, Lalita finished her race in nine minutes and 27.86 seconds breaking her previous best, also a national record, of 9:34.13 which she had clocked to clinch the gold at the Asian Championships at Wuhan, China, in June.