(L-R) Bouabdellah Tahri of France, Olympic Champion Brimin Kiprop Kipruto of Kenya and Ruben Ramolefi of South Africa during the men's 3000m steeplechase (© Getty Images)
Kenyan podium ambitions in the men’s steeplechase got underway without a hitch his morning, with the formidable East African foursome advancing easily to Tuesday evening’s final.
Richard Mateelong, the bronze medallist in Osaka and Beijing, took the first heat in 8:17.99, the fastest run of the morning. His teammate Paul Kipsiele Koech, the 2004 Olympic bronze medallist and this season’s second fastest at 8:01.72, was just a step behind in a comfortable third.
Reigning champion Brimin Kipruto, also the Olympic champion, was the comfortable winner in the second heat, clocking 8:18.07 just ahead of European record holder Bob Tahri of France, the leading candidate to challenge to ruin the Kenyan podium romp.
“I think I’m in better shape than last year, so I’m expecting good results,” said Kipruto, the winner at this year’s notoriously difficult Kenyan trials.
Rounding out the morning sweep was world leader Ezekiel Kemboi who was equally at ease in the third heat, winning in 8:19.36 from Moroccan Jamel Chatbi. Kemboi has taken silver at each of the last three editions of the championships.
The lead up to the final will now be rife with speculation as to what sort of tactics the Kenyans will employ when they make up more than one-fourth of the finalists. Nobody’s talking team secrets, but Kipruto summed up the quartet’s confidence, saying, “I think it will be quite easy for Kenyans to get the medals.”
Kenyan-born Bahraini Tareq Mubarek Taher and Ethiopian Roba Gary also moved on automatically from the first heat, South African Ruben Ramolefi and Ugandan Benjamin Kiplagat from the second, and Ethiopian Yacob Jarso and Spaniard Eliseo Martin from the third. Advancing on time were Qatari Abubaker Ali Kamal (8:18.95), Finland’s reigning European champion Jukka Keskisalo (8:22.00), and Swede Mustafa Mohamed (8:22.92).
The lone major player who won’t move on is Olympic silver medallist Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad, who stepped off the track injured with just over a lap to go in
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
Richard Mateelong, the bronze medallist in Osaka and Beijing, took the first heat in 8:17.99, the fastest run of the morning. His teammate Paul Kipsiele Koech, the 2004 Olympic bronze medallist and this season’s second fastest at 8:01.72, was just a step behind in a comfortable third.
Reigning champion Brimin Kipruto, also the Olympic champion, was the comfortable winner in the second heat, clocking 8:18.07 just ahead of European record holder Bob Tahri of France, the leading candidate to challenge to ruin the Kenyan podium romp.
“I think I’m in better shape than last year, so I’m expecting good results,” said Kipruto, the winner at this year’s notoriously difficult Kenyan trials.
Rounding out the morning sweep was world leader Ezekiel Kemboi who was equally at ease in the third heat, winning in 8:19.36 from Moroccan Jamel Chatbi. Kemboi has taken silver at each of the last three editions of the championships.
The lead up to the final will now be rife with speculation as to what sort of tactics the Kenyans will employ when they make up more than one-fourth of the finalists. Nobody’s talking team secrets, but Kipruto summed up the quartet’s confidence, saying, “I think it will be quite easy for Kenyans to get the medals.”
Kenyan-born Bahraini Tareq Mubarek Taher and Ethiopian Roba Gary also moved on automatically from the first heat, South African Ruben Ramolefi and Ugandan Benjamin Kiplagat from the second, and Ethiopian Yacob Jarso and Spaniard Eliseo Martin from the third. Advancing on time were Qatari Abubaker Ali Kamal (8:18.95), Finland’s reigning European champion Jukka Keskisalo (8:22.00), and Swede Mustafa Mohamed (8:22.92).
The lone major player who won’t move on is Olympic silver medallist Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad, who stepped off the track injured with just over a lap to go in
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
