Kenya’s stranglehold on the steeplechase event remained intact as defending Olympic and World Champion Conseslus Kipruto ran a blistering final 100m to pip Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma to the title in World Leading (WL) time of 8:01.35.
Kipruto hadn’t given much indication he could successfully defend his steeple title here before the heats, but he showed he his a great championship athlete, as he brought his wealth of experience to edge Girma by 0.01s, with the Ethiopian taking Silver.
Germa set the pace for the race from the start and made it hard for Kipruto up to the last lap of the race, but the youngster will still hold his head high, after he took 2nd with a National Record (NR) time of 8:01.36.
Morroco’s Soufiane El Bakkali finished third in 8:03:76, completing the podium in what has been one of the fastest 3000 metres steeplechase races of the year so far.
