Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali takes men’s 3000m steeplechase gold medal

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Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali takes men’s 3000m steeplechase gold medal at the time of 8:08.90, in a dominating performance over Ethiopian Lamecha Girma who clocked an 8:10.40 performance. Finishing third was Kenyan Benjamin Kigen finishing in the time of 8:11.30.

History! Soufiane El Bakkali wins the men’s 3000m steeplechase, #MAR’s first ever triumph in this event.#StrongerTogether | @WorldAthletics | #Athletics pic.twitter.com/C72ALBqEQc

— Olympics (@Olympics) August 2, 2021

Matthew Hughes, the Canadian record holder at 8:11.64, finished in sixth place the best ever result for a Canadian male in this event. He is also a two-time sixth-place finisher at the World Athletics Championships.

Surprisingly, Kenyan Abraham Kibiwott finished in 10th place and three seconds back of Hughes. He had won Heat 2 finishing a second ahead of Hughes to qualify for the final.

“I’m content with that … happy too. You look at the way my season started and, mentally and physically, I wasn’t in a great spot,” said Hughes. “Overall, I can’t be disappointed with that.”
 
Teammate John Gay gutted through the wet conditions in Tokyo to finish 15th in the final. “Every time I step up another level, I realize why it’s a step up in the first place. I think that was totally evident tonight,” said Gay. “I know it’s just another notch in the belt and something I can lean on in future years. We’ve got so many championships coming up in the next three years and I’m so grateful to have this opportunity.

El Bakkali is the first Moroccan Olympic gold medallist since Hicham El Gerrouj in 2004.

Final

Heat One

Heat Two

Heat Three