Yacob Jarso of Ethiopia on his way to break the 28-year-old national record (© Getty Images)
Monday night in the Bird’s Nest reminded us all that one of the beauties of athletics is its unpredictability.
While we have all come to expect a clean sweep for Kenya in the men’s 3000m steeplechase, Frenchman Mahiedine Mekhissi surprised by winning silver behind Kenyan Brimin Kipruto but significantly ahead of African champion Richard Mateelong.
In fourth behind them all, however, Ethiopian Yacob Jarso made his own history by smashing the 28-year old national record held by Eshetu Tura since the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
“Did I really break it,” he asked when he was told about his historic achievement by this writer at the athlete/media Mixed Zone in the Beijing National stadium on Monday night. “In that case, I am very happy. I was a bit disappointed after missing out on the medal.”
Despite running the majority of the race in the second and third lanes, Jarso was always in touching distance of the leaders throughout the contest before mistiming his last water jump and losing momentum on the final bend.
“I started the race expecting a medal,” he said. “The semis were great for me as I run in my own tempo and won it. Today, I was not very comfortable and I felt a bit tired after the first two laps.”
No Ethiopian had reached a Olympic Steeplechase final since Tura’s achievement nearly three decades ago when he won the country’s only medal, a bronze, at the event. On the other hand, neighbours Kenya have won at least one medal since the 1968 Games in an overwhelming domination of the event.
Based in Japan
Very few Ethiopians had come close to Tura’s mark over the years, the most recent being All-African Games bronze medallist Nahom Mesfin who ran 8:14.56 in Neerpelt, Belgium in July. But after he failed to progress to the final, all Ethiopian hopes disappeared.
“The focus had always been on Nahom and Roba (Gari),” he said about his team mates in the Ethiopian steeplechase squad. “They had the faster times and they were the favourites to advance. But I was confident that I would do well here in Beijing. I knew that if I got into my rhythm, I would run well under the conditions.”
Jarso had been confident about his chances because he spent the lion’s share of 2008 training in similar conditions in Japan. While the majority of the Ethiopian squad are essentially not allowed to train outside the centralized training regimen administered by their national federation, Jarso was given leeway because he was basically second-tier at the time of recruitment by the Japanese corporate running club this year.
“I spent about six months in Japan,” he says. “I even did a personal best there when running for the Honda club. I did a lot of work there on my endurance and clearing the steeples. I also got used to hot and humid conditions. I trained about three weeks in Ethiopia when they called me for their training camp.”
Despite his Japanese training regimen, Jarso is very much part of the tradition that nurtures top distance running talent. Born in Assasa in the Arsi region very near to the birth place of African 1500m champion Gelete Burka, Jarso started running in school with the 1500m his first competitive event.
Steeple by chance
Like many of his compatriots, he had dreamt of representing his country in the 5000m and 10,000m events until, he says, he stumbled on the steeplechase. “One day after training for my club Prisons Police, I began to “joke” with my friends that I would break my legs if I tried the steeple. We made a small bet on it and I started to jump. A coach was looking at me from the distance and told me that I could really become good at this. That’s how I started running the event.”
Having now accomplished a historic feat for his country, Jarso is in doubt where his future lies in the event. “This result will give me so much confidence,” he says. “I am very happy to have made history. I think I will celebrate this and then continue to work harder. I believe that anything is possible after this.”
Elshadai Negash for the IAAF
