Morocco’s 3,000m steeplechase king Soufiane El Bakkali showed his class to become the first man to defend an Olympic title in the event since 1936.
In a curious race, El Bakkali only hit the front for the first time coming into the home straight, just after his great rival Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma suffered a heavy fall that led to him being taken to hospital.
El Bakkali, who is also a two-time world champion, had to work hard to chase down a surprise late break by Kenneth Rooks, but never looked in much trouble once he passed the American.
Winning in a time of eight minutes 6.05 seconds, the 28-year-old mirrored the achievement of Finland’s Volmari Iso-Hollo, who won back-to-back steeplechases in 1932 and 1936.
Rooks held on for silver, just ahead of Kenya’s Abraham Kibiwot.
Girma taken to hospital after fall
Most of the pre-race talk was about the rivalry between El Bakkali and Girma, but the climax was overshadowed as the world record holder was taken to hospital following his fall on the final lap.
After tripping over the third-to-last barrier, the 23-year-old was quickly attended to by medical staff and had a neck brace fitted before being carried off the track on a stretcher.
“Following his fall in the 3,000m steeplechase, Lamecha Girma received immediate care from the on-site medical teams. Our thoughts are with him and we are sending him our very best wishes for a swift recovery,” Paris 2024 said in a statement.
“Paris 2024 is in close contact with Ethiopian Olympic officials to stay updated on his condition.”
Girma, who broke the men’s 3,000m steeplechase world record in Paris last year, was defeated by El Bakkali at the Olympics in Tokyo and the last two World Championships.
It looked as if Ethiopia might have a plan to help their man finally end his silver streak, as all three of the country’s runners at Paris 2024 – Samuel Firewu, Getnet Wale and Girma – hit the front early.
But just when it seemed like a fast race was in the offing, the Ethiopian trio allowed the pace to drop and the field bunched up again.
Uganda’s Leonard Chemutai looked as if he might take advantage before taking a fall at one of the barriers, with Rooks making his surge at the bell.
That was the sign for El Bakkali and Girma to spark into life and both looked strong until the Ethiopian’s nasty looking fall drew gasps from the crowd at the Stade de France.
The tall figure of El Bakkali took full advantage to overhaul his competitors and win Morocco’s first medal of the Games.
Samukonga ends 28-year wait for Zambia
Muzala Samukonga also made history in Wednesday evening’s session, taking bronze in the men’s 400m to end Zambia’s 28-year wait for an Olympic medal.
The 2022 Commonwealth champion finished behind the USA’s Quincy Hall and Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith in a time of 43.74 seconds, setting a new national record.
Samukonga has struggled with injury over the last two years since his Commonwealth triumph in Birmingham.
But the 21-year-old has found form and fitness at just the right time, and showed his finishing prowess to snatch a medal by just four hundredths of a second ahead of Jereem Richards of Trinidad and Tobago.
He joins the small list of Zambian Olympic heroes, alongside 400m hurdler Samuel Matete, who won silver at Atlanta 1996, and boxer Keith Mwila, who took bronze at Los Angeles 1984.
