Kenya swept the medals in the 3000m steeplechase for the first time at a World Championships - they achieved the same feat at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, and that was without the world record holder, Moses Kiptanui.
Here Kiptanui was going for his fourth straight world title but lost out in a desperate sprint for the line to his teammate, Wilson Boit Kipketer, whose winning time was 8:05.83. Kiptanui hung on to the silver medal, in 8:06.04, only by dipping at the line in front of Bernard Barmasai, who finished in exactly the same time.
Kiptanui went straight to the front of the field from the gun, followed by Saad Al Asmari of Saudi Arabia and his two fellow Kenyans. He held that position for almost the enitire race. The pace at first was relatively gentle - they passed 1000m in 2:45.86 - but Kiptanui gradually began to wind it up, stringing the runners out in a line behind him. However, none of the main contenders had lost touch by 2000m - passed in 5:31.08.
From that point six began to open a gap on the rest - the three Kenyans, Al Asmari, who was clinging to Kiptanui’s heels, two Moroccans (Brahim Boulami and Hicham Bouaouiche), and USA’s Mark Croghan. On the penultimate lap Croghan struggled to hang on as Al Asmari took the lead for the first time. He and the three Kenyans broke away from the rest with 550m to go.
Kiptanui regained the initiative on the back straight, leading his teammates clear of their Saudi Arabian challenger. They hit the water jump together and Kiptanui attacked. He was first over the final barrier but lost his title in a dramatic finish.
