Kibiwott Wins Bronze, El Bakkali Retains Olympic Steeplechase Crown
In the French capital
Wednesday’s bronze medal for Commonwealth Games winner Abraham Kibiwott increased Kenya’s total medal count to five. Soufiane El Bakkali, a Moroccan, made history by becoming the first man to successfully defend the Olympic 3000m steeplechase title since Volmari Iso-Hollo did so in 1928 and 1932 with her late surge.
El Bakkali’s record of 8 minutes, 06.05 seconds prevented Kenyans from regaining their former supremacy in the water and barrier events, which they had given up in Tokyo. American Kenneth Rooks surprised everyone by winning silver in the last straight sprint with a time of 8:06.41, a career best.
Kibiwott, the World Championship bronze medallist from the previous year, improved on his 10th place result in Tokyo by recording a bronze medal time that set a season record of 8:06.47.
Simon Koech (8:09.26) and Amos Serem (8:19.74), two more Kenyan delegates, placed seventh and fourteenth, respectively.
As on August 7, Kibiwott dedicated the bronze medal to his six-day-old daughter.
“We didn’t get the gold medal that I wanted.” I’m choosing to focus on the fact that I placed 10th in Tokyo and am now standing on the podium. I give the medal to my baby, who we welcomed just six days ago, as it represents a significant accomplishment for me. This Olympics is all about her since we were fortunate enough to have her a few days before traveling to Paris, Kibiwott remarked with delight.
He placed third in the Paris Diamond League, his final event before the Olympics.
El Bakkali, the winner of the previous three world titles, came to Paris with a target on his back.
Following his initial success at the Tokyo Olympics, where he became the first non-Kenyan runner to win the Olympic steeplechase title since 1980, he solidified his position by winning the Eugene and Budapest world championships back-to-back.
Among Arab athletes who have doubled up at the Summer Games, he is in exclusive company after winning his second Olympic gold in the French capital.
The only other swimmers to accomplish the feat are Hicham El Guerrouj, a Moroccan who won gold in the 1500 and 5,000 meters in Athens 2004, and Oussama Mellouli, a Tunisian who won gold in the 1500 meters freestyle in Beijing 2008 and the 10 kilometers marathon in London 2012.
