Paris Olympics: Steeplechase title continues to elude Team Kenya as El Bakkali writes history

Commonwealth Games 3000m steeplechase champion Abraham Kibiwott is an Olympic bronze medalist.

In a dramatic final on Wednesday 7 August, Kibiwott, the most experienced of Team Kenya's trio that includes World U20 champion Amos Serem and Simon Koech, managed third place in a season best time of 8:06.47.

Gold went to Moroccan Soufiane El Bakkali in only his second race of the season, as he timed of 8:06.05 to become the first man since 1932 to defend a steeplechase Olympic title.

USA's Kenneth Rooks who burst into the lead at the bell and led up until the home straight, took a surprise silver in a big personal best (PB) of 8:06.41. 

This was a massive improvement for the Kenyan who placed tenth in Tokyo as El Bakkali won his maiden title, becoming the first non-Kenyan winner since 1984. 

World record-holder Lamecha Girma was part of the pack when the kicking started on the final lap, but the Ethiopian fell hard with 200m to go and was a non-finisher, eventually having to be carried off the track on a stretcher.

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The opening pace was fast as India’s Avinash Sable took an early lead, closely followed by a trio of Ethiopians: Getnet Wale, Samuel Firewu and Girma. El Bakkali was positioned close behind.

Wale and Firewu then took brief spells at the front with the first 1000m being covered in 2:40.53, putting them on course to break the Olympic record.

The pace settled down during the middle of the race as Sable drifted back through the pack, leaving the three Ethiopians at the front with Firewu doing most of the leading. Uganda’s Leonard Chemutai briefly moved up through the pack, prompting Firewu to increase the pace.

Kenya’s Koech then hit the front and led the field through 2000m in 5:29.8 as the pack started to bunch up. With two laps to go, El Bakkali’s teammate Mohamed Tindouft moved through the field and into second place, but the real drama started on the final lap.

As soon as the bell rang, Rooks darted into the lead and immediately opened up a gap of two metres on the rest of the field. El Bakkali was navigating his way through a field that included Girma, Firewu and Kibiwot.

Among all the chaos, Girma tripped and fell hard, lying motionless on the track. The rest of the field charged forward with El Bakkali moving onto Rooks’ shoulder coming off the bend.

The Moroccan then strode into the lead and sprinted hard off the final barrier, winning in 8:06.05. Rooks crossed the line 0.36 later with Kibiwot claiming the bronze medal in 8:06.47.

Additional information by World Athletics