By Parker Morse, Running USA wire
BEIJING, China - (August 18, 2008) - After the record-setting women's race, the men's 3000 meter steeplechase on Monday evening could not have been more different. An event dominated by Kenya since 1968 (only two golds have gone to non-Kenyan athletes since Mexico City, both due to African boycotts in 1976 and 1980), the race was at different times led by an American and a Swede, and six athletes were in medal contention at the bell. The gold eventually went to Kenya's Brimin Kipruto in 8:10.34, but the safe was open and there were thieves among the Kenyan medals.
With Kipruto and Richard Kipkemboi Mateelong sitting back in the pack and sizing up the opposition, the only Kenyan in the front in the early going was Ezekiel Kemboi, and he wouldn't lead. Finally it was South Africa's Ruben Ramolefi who picked up the pace after a pedestrian 2:46.97 first kilometer. The pack woke up then, and Sweden's Mustafa Mohamed took over, with Kemboi still shadowing the leaders and U.S. champion Anthony Famiglietti sitting patiently in fourth.
Famiglietti wasn't patient for too long. "I tried to lay back, but no one would take the pace," he said later. "I was wasting so much energy moving out to the second lane or third or fourth for the hurdles, and all the pushing around. I was worried I would fall." He made a strong move with three and a half laps remaining, stringing out the pack but not managing to break away and eventually finishing 13th. Kemboi covered the move, and eventually Mohamed resumed the lead with Kemboi shadowing once more.
It was with 500 meters to go that efforts were finally made to sort out the medals. Mateelong came to the front and Frenchman Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad, a new face to nearly everyone in the race, followed. From the bell to the final barrier, Mateelong, Kipruto and Mekhissi-Benabbad would struggle for every step of advantage as Kemboi, present in the front from the race's beginning, slid back in the pack.
Kipruto, 23, was the strongest sprinter and he celebrated gold, his second medal in this event after winning silver in 2004, as he crossed the line in 8:10.34, but Mekhissi-Benabbad produced the best non-Kenyan finish since 1984 with his silver medal winning 8:10.49, a PR. (The 1984 silver was also a Frenchman, Joseph Mahmoud.) Mateelong took bronze in 8:11.01.
Olympic Games: Beijing
National Stadium / "Bird's Nest"
Monday, August 18, 2008
Men's 3000m Steeplechase Final
1) Brimin Kipruto (KEN), 8:10.34, Gold
2) Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad (FRA), 8:10.49, Silver
3) Richard Kipkemboi Mateelong (KEN), 8:11.01, Bronze
4) Yacob Jarso (ETH), 8:13.47
5) Bouabdellah Tahri (FRA), 8:14.79
6) Youcef Abdi (AUS), 8:16.36
7) Ezekiel Kemboi (KEN), 8:16.38
8) Abubaker Ali Kamal (QAT), 8:16.59
9) Benjamin Kiplagat (UGA), 8:20.27
10) Mustafa Mohamed (SWE), 8:20.69
Top U.S.
13) Anthony Famiglietti (USA), 8:31.21
Complete results, starts lists, daily schedule and more at:
IAAF.org.
Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director
(805) 696-6232; Fax = (805) 659-0016
Ryan@RunningUSA.org
www.RunningUSA.org.
Know someone else who's interested in running and triathlon?
