Report03 Aug 2012


London 2012 - Event Report - Men's 3000m Steeplechase Round 1

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Evan Jager of the United States competes in the men's 3000m Steeplechase heats at the London 2012 Olympic Games (© Getty Images)

No surprises emerged from the opening round of the men’s 3000m Steeplechase, with Kenya poised for a third podium sweep after top-three finishes in 1992 and 2004.

Brimin Kipruto, the defending Olympic champion, won the second of the early afternoon’s three heats, kicking to a straightforward 8:28.62 clocking, crossing the line safely ahead of a blanket finish for the remaining three automatic qualifying positions.

"Everything went according to plan but anything can happen in the final," said Kipruto, who led a Kenyan podium sweep at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka. Are he and his compatriots planning a repeat?

"We will run together until the last lap and then we’ll try to beat each other. Then I will try my best."

Italian Yuri Floriani edged Moroccan Brahim Taleb for second by just .01 in 8:29.01 with Finland’s Jukka Keskisalo, the 2006 European champion, finishing strong to take fourth, another 0.11 behind.

The current European champion, Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad of France, won the first race in 8:16.23, the fastest time of the round, after passing freshly-minted North American record holder Evan Jager over the waning 15 metres.

"I won this battle, but not yet the war," said the Frenchman, who took silver in Beijing four years ago. "The war is on Sunday."

However it was Jager, who clocked 8:06.81 in Monaco late last month in just his fifth outing in the event, who controlled the race for most of the last lap to ensure his appearance in the final.

"The U.S. record in Monaco was a huge confidence boost," said Jager, 23, whose first appearance in a steeplechase race came in April of this year. "I’m going to go into the final open-minded.

Abel Mutai, the fastest of the Kenyan trio this year at 8:01.67, was third in 8:17.70 to move on comfortably in his first international championship. Tarik Langat Akdag (8:17.85) of Turkey advanced by right while Nahom Mesfin (8:1.8.16) of Ethiopia and Ugandan Benjamin Kiplagat (8:18.44) took two of the three qualifying spots as the fastest losers.

Ethiopian Roba Gari won the third heat in 8:20.68, but that was only because Kenyan Ezekiel Kemboi gave him plenty of room. Carrying a big lead off the final hurdle, Kemboi, the two-time World champion decided to play it very safe, slowing to near crawl as he swung way out to lane six from one. He still finished second in 8:20.97 with Hamid Ezzine of Morocco and American Don Cabral taking the next two automatic spots in 8:21.25 and 8:21.46 respectively.

Ion Luchianov of Moldova took the final spot based on time, courtesy of an 8:22.09 season’s best.

Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
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