Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali wins back-to-back Olympic males’s steeplechase gold

In an thrilling 3,000m males’s steeplechase final, no matter some who doubted he was in excessive kind, Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali defended his Olympic title, worthwhile gold with a time of 8:06.05. El Bakkali, who moreover claimed gold on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the 2022 World Championships, confirmed his dominance as quickly as as soon as extra. American Kenneth Rooks earned a shock silver with a non-public higher of 8:06.41, whereas Kenya’s Abraham Kibiwot took bronze in 8:06.47.

Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma, the world file holder throughout the event with a time of seven:52.11, was poised to downside for a excessive place, nonetheless took a excessive fall throughout the final lap and didn’t get up, displaying to lose consciousness. He left the Stade de France on a stretcher and was rushed to hospital. He obtained silver behind El Bakkali at Tokyo 2020.

Can someone PLEASE inform us how Lamecha Girma 🇪🇹 is?!?! That fall throughout the 3000M Steeplechase was horrific! @bbcsport #olympics #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/YNGk42XC7Q

— Ian Ridpath (@ianridpath) August 7, 2024

Rooks made a switch to the doorway with 300 metres to go, avoiding Girma’s fall that disrupted a majority of the sector. Rooks and Kibiwot challenged El Bakkali in a three-way race to the highway down the home straight, with the Moroccan effectively defending his 3,000m steeplechase title.

Quebec Metropolis’s Jean-Simon Desgagnés accomplished thirteenth in 8:19.31. Desgagnés squeaked into the last word, by three one-hundredths of a second, working 8:25.28 throughout the semis. “I’d have favored excessive 10 or excessive eight, nonetheless it’s not a foul day,” Desgagnés talked about after the race. “I’m happy with what I’ve accomplished, nonetheless there are points I’ve to work on to be the easiest on this planet. 

This was the second straight essential championship final for Desgagnés. On the 2023 World Championships, he accomplished eighth. “After I come to a large championship similar to the Olympics or world championships, I’m not proper right here merely to be throughout the final, I’m proper right here to be throughout the excessive 10. So it’s a confidence booster [to go back-to-back in major championship finals], nonetheless I have to be throughout the excessive 10.”

When requested what he thinks he should get to that top 10 diploma, he responded, “I really feel it’s a mix of well being and method, psychological prep… so, going into the last word realizing will in all probability be fast, I want to have the power to keep up that kind of tempo, and that comes with teaching … I’ve to work on that 2:40/km tempo, and have the power to keep up it eternally, and I’ve to have the ability to kick, even at that tempo. It’s a mix of tempo and endurance.” 

Desgagnés is coming into his final 12 months of medical faculty; he plans to race on the Silesia Diamond League in Poland on Aug. 25. 

Athletics events on the Paris 2024 Olympic Video video games are taking place from Aug. 1-11. At the moment’s safety is dropped at you by Canadian Working and PUMA Canada. Observe us on Twitter on Instagram for all points Crew Canada and up-to-date distinctive info and content material materials.