Another Kenyan Steeplechase Win!


Medalists:
Gold - Ezekial Kemboi (Kenya) 8:18.56
Silver - Mahiedine Mekissi-Benabbad (France) 8:19.08
Bronze - Abel Kiprop Mutai (Kenya) 8:19.73


Ezekial Kemboi of Kenya continued his reign in the steeplechase with a bizarre finish in lane 8, but he brought home the gold for Kenya in a tactical 8:18.56. He was followed by a ridiculously close finish by the 2008 Silver medalist Frenchman Mahiedine Mekissi-Benabbad for another Olympic silver medal. Abel Kiprop Mutai, Kemboi's Kenyan teammate came in for bronze in 8:19.73.  Unfortunately for the Americans Evan Jager and Don Cabral, who led for over half of the race, the two steeplchasers were unable to hold onto the top three in the final lap, both finishing 6th and 8th. 

Full Results

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3000m Steeplechase FINAL Start Lists

Bib	Athlete	PB	SB	+
1762	MEKHISSI-BENABBAD Mahiedine	8:02.09	8:10.90	+
2314	MUTAI Abel Kiprop	8:01.67	8:01.67	+
2463	TALEB Brahim	8:07.02	8:10.20	+
3111	KIPLAGAT Benjamin	8:03.81	8:17.55	+
2303	KIPRUTO Brimin Kiprop	7:53.64	8:01.73	+
3071	AKDAG Tarik Langat	8:08.59	8:17.85	+
2455	EZZINE Hamid	8:09.72	8:16.93	+
2133	FLORIANI Yuri	8:22.62	8:22.62	+
3208	CABRAL Donald	8:19.14	8:19.14	+
1685	GARI Roba	8:06.16	8:06.16	+
2482	LUCHIANOV Ion	8:18.97	8:22.09	+
2297	KEMBOI Ezekiel	7:55.76	8:10.55	+
3223	JAGER Evan	8:06.81	8:06.81	+
1691	MESFIN Nahom	8:12.04	8:18.16	+
1723	KESKISALO Jukka	8:10.67	8:27.96

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updated: Aug 3, 7:30am CT

JAGER IS NO JOKE!


Heat 1: USA's Evan Jager showed the world he is for real in the opening round (aka semi-final) of the men's steeple chase. Jager hung up front for most of the race before taking the lead with two laps to go. Jager ran the second fastest time of the section behind France's Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad who passed Jager in the final 10 meters (8:16.23 to 8:16.61). If Mekhissi-Benabbad's name is tough to remember, you might just refer to him as the "mascot maniac." He was also the silver medalist at the 2008 Olympics. All four auto qualifers from the section ran under 8:18.
Full Results Page Here!


Heat 2: The reigning Olympic Champ, Brimin Kipruto, looked relaxed as he sat in the field throughout most of the race. Kipruto won the slowest section of the day in 8:28.62. The runner up was Italian Yuri Floriani, no relation to Flotrack founder Mark Floreani. American Kyle Alcorn was in the main pack for a majority of the race but faded over the final 500 meters to finish 9th in 8:37.11.



Heat 3: It was a crazy race with the 2004 Olympic Champ (7th in '08), Ezekiel Kemboi, as he was well off the back of the race in the early stages of the race. However he moved up through the pack, sitting in second with one lap to go, and then went on to finish a close second in 8:20.97. He was passed in the final meters by Ethiopia's Roba Gari after he floated out to lane 6, which was a mystery to the announcers. Kemboi has been dealing with a lot off the track as he was charged with assault back in Kenya, but the trial has been put on hold for the Olympic Games. The race seemed to mimic his personal life as of late, all over the place.

The story of the American in the race was a great one. Princeton grad, Donn Cabral, led up front with confidence for a majority of the race (2:46 at 1k, 5:36 at 2k). Over the last lap and final water jump we saw Cabral fade which has been a common scene from American steeplers at this level. Sitting in nearly 6th place (only top 4 automatically advancing) Cabral dug in for the kick we've seen most of the year and nabbed the 4th auto spot with his 8:21.46! The final time qualifier was right behind Cabral, Ion Luchianov of Moldova in 8:22.09.

Two Americans in the finals and a real medal contender, when was the last time we've seen that??

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last updated: July 18th at 6:05pm CT

Men's 3000 Steeplechase Quick Hits
2012 London Olympic Games


3000m Steeplechase Schedule:
Day 1, Aug 3rd - Round 1 (7:00am CT) - qualifying procedure TBA
Day 3, Aug 5th - Final (3:25pm CT) - Winner take all

3000m Steeplechase Records:
World Record - 7:53.63 - Saif Saaeed Shaheen (Qatar) 3 September 2004
Olympic Record - 8:05.51 - Julius Kariuki (KEN) 30 September 1988
American Record - 8:06.81- Evan Jager 20 July 2012

The Favorites: (personal best/season best)
1. Ezekial Kemboi, Kenya (7:55.76/8:10.55) - Two seconds off WR. 2011 World Champion at the event
2. Brimin Kipruto, Kenya (7:53.64/8:01.73) - .01seconds off the WR. Runner up at 2011 World Championships in event
3. Abel Mutai, Kenya (8:01.57/8:01.57) - A relative youngster, but the Kenyans are good at this stuff.

The Americans:
1. Evan Jager (8:17.40/8:17.40) - A disgusting talent. Expect big things.
2. Donn Cabral (8:19.14/8:19.14) - The man, the myth, the Donn.
3. Kyle Alcorn (8:20.86/8:20.86) - Did it big at the trials.

Past 3000m Steeplechase Olympic Results: (full results from wiki)

2000 Olympic games
Gold: Reuben Kosgei, Kenya 8:21.43
Silver: Wilson Boit Kipketer, Kenya 8:21.77
Bronze: Ali Ezzine, Morocco 8:22.15

2004 Olympic Games
Gold: Ezekiel Kemboi, Kenya 8:05.81
Silver: Brimin Kipruto, Kenya 8:06.11
Bronze: Paul Koech, Kenya 8:06.64

2008 Olympic Games
Gold: Brimin Kipruto, Kenya 8:10.34
Silver: Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad, France 8:10.49
Bronze: Richard Mateelong, Kenya 8:11.01

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