The Men's 3.000 metres Steeplechase

Steeplechase (athletics)

The steeplechase is an obstacle race in athletics, which derives its name from the steeplechase in horse racing.-Rules:The length of the race is usually 3000 m; junior events are 2000 m, as women's events formerly were. The circuit has four ordinary barriers and one water jump. Over 3000 m, each...

 at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics

2009 World Championships in Athletics

The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....

 was held at the Olympic Stadium on August 16 and August 18. Keeping in line with previous major championships success, the four-man Kenyan team

Kenya at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics

Kenya will compete at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics from 15–23 August. A team of 43 athletes was announced in preparation for the competition. Selected athletes have achieved one of the competition's qualifying standards...

 entered for the event contained a number of race favourites.

The Kenyans were led by the reigning World and Olympic champion Brimin Kipruto

Brimin Kipruto

Brimin Kipruto is a Kenyan middle distance runner who specialises in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He was born in Korkitony, Keiyo District...

, followed by 2004 Olympic

2004 Summer Olympics

The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...

 champion and world-leader Ezekiel Kemboi

Ezekiel Kemboi

Ezekiel Kemboi Cheboi is a Kenyan athlete, winner of the 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2004 Summer Olympics, the 2009 World Championships and the 2011 World Championships. He became African Junior Champion in 2001 and came to prominence with a silver medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games...

, and finally Olympic medallists Paul Kipsiele Koech

Paul Kipsiele Koech

Paul Kipsiele Koech is a Kenyan runner who specializes in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He won the 2004 Olympic bronze medal in this event....

 and Richard Mateelong

Richard Mateelong

Richard Kipkemboi Mateelong is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specializes in the 3000 metre steeplechase. He won an Olympic bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and he has two World Championship medals in the discipline.-Career:He was born in Lenape village, near Narok town in 1983. He...

. Two French athletes

France at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics

France will compete at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics from 15–23 August. A team of 67 athletes was announced in preparation for the competition. Selected athletes have achieved one of the competition's qualifying standards...

 offered the strongest possibility of beating the Kenyans, with Olympic silver medallist Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad

Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad

Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad is French track and field athlete who mainly competes in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He is of Algerian origin....

 and European record holder Bouabdellah Tahri. Other possible medallists were the in-form Moroccan Jamel Chatbi

Jamel Chatbi

Jamel Chatbi is a Moroccan athlete who specialises in the 3000 metres steeplechase.Based in Northern Italy, Chatbi began competing in 2006 and finished third in the Tutta Dritta 10km that year...

 and the European Champion Jukka Keskisalo

Jukka Keskisalo

Jukka Pekka Sakari Keskisalo is a Finnish athlete competing in 3000 m steeplechase and 1500 m. He won 3000 m steeplechase at the European Championships in Gothenburg, 2006.-Career:...

.

After Mekhissi-Benabbad pulled up due to injury in the heats, the chance of a Kenyan podium sweep increased. All three heats were won by a Kenyan athlete, and Kenyan-born Tareq Mubarak Taher

Tareq Mubarak Taher

Tareq Mubarak Taher, born as Dennis Kipkurui Sang , is a middle distance runner who represents Bahrain after changing nationality from Kenya. His special distance is the 3000 metres steeplechase...

, who now competes for Bahrain

Bahrain

' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...

, was the fastest non-Kenyan qualifier. Chatbi, who had finished second in his heat, became the first athlete of the championships to test positive for banned substances. His "A" sample showed traces of clenbuterol

Clenbuterol

Clenbuterol is a sympathomimetic amine used by sufferers of breathing disorders as a decongestant and bronchodilator. People with chronic breathing disorders such as asthma use this as a bronchodilator to make breathing easier...

 and he was withdrawn from the final.

In the final, South African Ruben Ramolefi

Ruben Ramolefi

Ruben Ramolefi is a South African runner who specializes in the 3000 metres steeplechase and is currently the South African record holder in 3000 metres steeplechase...

 lead early on, but he was soon overtaken by Koech and Kemboi. Around the halfway mark, a group of five athletes were leading the field: the four Kenyan runners and Frenchman Tahri. Defending champion Kipruto was the only one to fall away from the leading pack and Koech, Kemboi, Mateelong were the first to reach the home stretch. In a close finish, Kemboi won in 8:00.43, and Mateelong took the silver. Tahri made a strong run to the line to upset the Kenyan's podium sweep hopes, beating Koech to the bronze and setting a new European record in the process. The top four runners had all beaten Moses Kiptanui

Moses Kiptanui

Moses Kiptanui is a middle and long distance athlete mostly famous for 3,000 m steeplechase in which he was the number one ranked athlete from 1991 to 1995 and three time IAAF World Champion...

's fourteen-year-old Championship record in what was the fastest ever steeplechase race at the World Championships.

Medalists

Gold	Silver	Bronze
Ezekiel Kemboi Ezekiel Kemboi Ezekiel Kemboi Cheboi is a Kenyan athlete, winner of the 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2004 Summer Olympics, the 2009 World Championships and the 2011 World Championships. He became African Junior Champion in 2001 and came to prominence with a silver medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games... '	Richard Kipkemboi Mateelong '	Bouabdellah Tahri  '

Records

Prior to the competition, the following records were as follows.

World record		7:53.63	Brussels Brussels Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...	3 September 2004
Championship record		8:04.16	Gothenburg Gothenburg Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area... , Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....	11 August 1995
World leading		7:58.85	Doha Doha Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar... , Qatar Qatar Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...	8 May 2009
African record		7:55.28	Brussels, Belgium	24 August 2001
Asian record		7:53.63	Brussels, Belgium	3 September 2004
North American record		8:08.82	Rome Rome Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half... , Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...	14 July 2006
South American record		8:14.41	Mar del Plata Mar del Plata Mar del Plata is an Argentine city located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, south of Buenos Aires. Mar del Plata is the second largest city of Buenos Aires Province. The name "Mar del Plata" had apparently the sense of "sea of the Río de la Plata region" or "adjoining sea to the Río de la Plata"... , Argentina Argentina Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...	22 March 1995
European record		8:02.19	Metz Metz Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place... , France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...	3 July 2009
Oceanian record		8:14.05	Koblenz Koblenz, Switzerland Koblenz is a municipality in the district of Zurzach in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:Koblenz is first mentioned in 10th or 11th Century as Confluentia, for the confluence of the Aare and Rhine rivers. In 1265 it was mentioned as Cobilz. In the Roman era a goods yard and... , Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....	29 August 1984

Qualification standards

A time	B time
8:23.00	8:33.50

Schedule

Date	Time	Round
August 16, 2009	11:00	Heats
August 18, 2009	19:50	Final

Heats

Qualification: First 4 in each heat(Q) and the next 3 fastest(q) advance to the final.

Rank	Heat	Name	Nationality	Time	Notes
	1	Richard Mateelong Richard Mateelong Richard Kipkemboi Mateelong is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specializes in the 3000 metre steeplechase. He won an Olympic bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and he has two World Championship medals in the discipline.-Career:He was born in Lenape village, near Narok town in 1983. He...		8:17.99	Q
	2	Brimin Kipruto Brimin Kipruto Brimin Kipruto is a Kenyan middle distance runner who specialises in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He was born in Korkitony, Keiyo District...		8:18.07	Q
	1	Tareq Mubarak Taher Tareq Mubarak Taher Tareq Mubarak Taher, born as Dennis Kipkurui Sang , is a middle distance runner who represents Bahrain after changing nationality from Kenya. His special distance is the 3000 metres steeplechase...		8:18.13	Q
	1	Paul Kipsiele Koech Paul Kipsiele Koech Paul Kipsiele Koech is a Kenyan runner who specializes in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He won the 2004 Olympic bronze medal in this event....		8:18.16	Q
	1	Roba Gary Roba Gary Roba Gari is an Ethiopian runner, who specializes in the 3000 metres steeplechase.He finished tenth at the 2007 World Championships, in his major international debut....		8:18.22	Q
	2	Bouabdellah Tahri		8:18.23	Q
	2	Ruben Ramolefi Ruben Ramolefi Ruben Ramolefi is a South African runner who specializes in the 3000 metres steeplechase and is currently the South African record holder in 3000 metres steeplechase...		8:18.24	Q
	2	Benjamin Kiplagat Benjamin Kiplagat Benjamin Kiplagat ia a Ugandan long-distance runner specializing in the 3000 metres steeplechase.-Achievements:-Personal bests:* 1500 m – 3:38.86 * 3000 m – 7:46.50...		8:18.55	Q
	1	Abubaker Ali Kamal Abubaker Ali Kamal Abubaker Ali Kamal is a Qatari runner who has specialized mostly in the 1500 metres and 3000 metres steeplechase.-Achievements:-Personal bests:*800 metres – 1:46.38 min *1500 metres – 3:36.98 min...		8:18.95	q, SB
10	3	Ezekiel Kemboi Ezekiel Kemboi Ezekiel Kemboi Cheboi is a Kenyan athlete, winner of the 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2004 Summer Olympics, the 2009 World Championships and the 2011 World Championships. He became African Junior Champion in 2001 and came to prominence with a silver medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games...		8:19.36	Q
11	3	Yacob Jarso Yacob Jarso Yacob Jarso Kintra is an Ethiopian steeplechase and long-distance runner. He has represented Ethiopia at the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2009 World Championships in Athletics...		8:20.91	Q
12	2	Jukka Keskisalo Jukka Keskisalo Jukka Pekka Sakari Keskisalo is a Finnish athlete competing in 3000 m steeplechase and 1500 m. He won 3000 m steeplechase at the European Championships in Gothenburg, 2006.-Career:...		8:22.00	q
13	2	Mustafa Mohamed Mustafa Mohamed Mustafa Hassan Mohamed is a Somali-Swedish long-distance runner who mainly competes in the 3000 meter steeplechase.-Biography:Born in Mogadishu, Somalia, Mohamed moved to Sweden at the age of 11...		8:22.92	q
14	2	José Luis Blanco José Luis Blanco José Luis Blanco is a Spanish middle distance runner, who mostly concentrates on the 3000 metres steeplechase....		8:24.07
15	2	Krijn van Koolwijk		8:24.22	SB
16	3	Eliseo Martín Eliseo Martín Eliseo Martín Omenat is an Aragonese Spanish long-distance runner who specializes in 3000 metres steeplechase.-Achievements:-Personal bests:*1500 metres - 3:40.96 min *3000 metres - 7:50.71 min...		8:24.29	Q
17	1	Abdelatif Chemlal Abdelatif Chemlal Abdelatif Chemlal is a Moroccan long-distance runner who specializes in the 3000 metre steeplechase. His personal best time is 8:21.00 minutes, achieved in June 2002 in Seville...		8:25.68
18	3	Ion Luchianov Ion Luchianov Ion Luchianov is a male steeplechaser from Moldova. He competed for his native country at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, where he finished ninth in his heat of the 3000 metre steeplechase therefore missing out on a place in the final...		8:27.41
19	1	Tomasz Szymkowiak Tomasz Szymkowiak Tomasz Szymkowiak is a Polish track and field athlete who mainly competes in the 3000 metres steeplechase.-Achievements:-References:...		8:27.93
20	3	Bjørnar Ustad Kristensen Bjørnar Ustad Kristensen Bjørnar Ustad Kristensen is a Norwegian track and field athlete who mainly competes in the 3000 metres steeplechase.-Achievements:-References:...		8:28.49	SB
21	1	Mario Bazán		8:28.67	NR Peruvian records in athletics The following are the national records in athletics in Peru maintained by its national athletics federation: Federacion Deportiva Peruana de Atletismo .-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:ht = hand timingOT = oversized trackA = affected by altitude...
22	1	Pieter Desmet		8:31.81
23	2	Ildar Minshin Ildar Minshin Ildar Salikhovich Minshin is a Russian track and field athlete who mainly competes in the 3000 metres steeplechase.-Achievements:-References:...		8:33.89
24	3	Steffen Uliczka Steffen Uliczka Steffen Uliczka is a German track and field athlete who mainly competes in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He was the 2010 winner of the Warandecross cross country meeting in Tilburg, Netherlands.- Achievements :...		8:37.83
25	3	Simon Ayeko		8:37.86
26	3	Yoshitaka Iwamizu Yoshitaka Iwamizu is a Japanese long-distance runner. He competes in the 3000 metres steeplechase.He finished fifth at the 2001 Summer Universiade in Beijing, won a silver medal at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, Korea and finished eleventh at the 2003 World Championships in Paris...		8:39.03
27	3	Boštjan Buč Boštjan Buc Boštjan Buč is a track and field athlete from Slovenia, competing in the middle-distance events. He is the current Slovenian record holder in the men's 3.000 metres steeplechase, clocking 8:16.96 on June 12, 2003 at a meet in Ostrava. He represented his native country at the 2004 Summer Olympics...		8:40.56
28	1	Vincent Zouaoui-Dandrieaux		8:41.85
29	3	Alberto Paulo Alberto Paulo Alberto Paulo is a Portuguese track and field athlete. He mainly competes in the 3000 metres steeplechase.-Achievements:-References:...		8:43.13
30	2	Rob Watson		8:44.73
31	1	Per Jacobsen		8:44.80
32	3	Daniel Huling		8:46.79
33	1	Ángel Mullera		8:47.40
34	2	Youcef Abdi Youcef Abdi Youcef Abdi is an Australian athlete who specializes in the 3000 m steeplechase. He was born in Algeria, but changed nationality to Australia in 2000.- Achievements :...		8:49.88
35	2	Legese Lamiso		8:51.63
36	2	Josh McAdams Josh McAdams Josh McAdams is a United States track and field athlete who competes in the 3,000 meter steeplechase.-Education:...		9:02.19

} || 1 ||align=left| Kyle Alcorn ||align=left| || || DNF
|-
| || 3 ||align=left| Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad

Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad

Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad is French track and field athlete who mainly competes in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He is of Algerian origin....

 ||align=left| || || DNF
|- bgcolor=#F78181
| || 3 ||align=left| Jamel Chatbi

Jamel Chatbi

Jamel Chatbi is a Moroccan athlete who specialises in the 3000 metres steeplechase.Based in Northern Italy, Chatbi began competing in 2006 and finished third in the Tutta Dritta 10km that year...

 ||align=left| || 8:20.26 || Q
|}

Key: DNF = Did not finish, NR = National record, Q = qualification by place in heat, q = qualification by overall place, SB = Seasonal best

DSQ - Disqualified (Chatbi disqualified due to violation of anti-doping rules)

Final

Rank	Name	Nationality	Time	Notes
	Ezekiel Kemboi Ezekiel Kemboi Ezekiel Kemboi Cheboi is a Kenyan athlete, winner of the 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2004 Summer Olympics, the 2009 World Championships and the 2011 World Championships. He became African Junior Champion in 2001 and came to prominence with a silver medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games...		8:00.43	CR
	Richard Kipkemboi Mateelong		8:00.89	PB
	Bouabdellah Tahri		8:01.18	AR
	Paul Kipsiele Koech Paul Kipsiele Koech Paul Kipsiele Koech is a Kenyan runner who specializes in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He won the 2004 Olympic bronze medal in this event....		8:01.26	SB
	Yacob Jarso Yacob Jarso Yacob Jarso Kintra is an Ethiopian steeplechase and long-distance runner. He has represented Ethiopia at the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2009 World Championships in Athletics...		8:12.13	PB
	Roba Gary Roba Gary Roba Gari is an Ethiopian runner, who specializes in the 3000 metres steeplechase.He finished tenth at the 2007 World Championships, in his major international debut....		8:12.40
	Brimin Kiprop Kipruto		8:12.61
	Jukka Keskisalo Jukka Keskisalo Jukka Pekka Sakari Keskisalo is a Finnish athlete competing in 3000 m steeplechase and 1500 m. He won 3000 m steeplechase at the European Championships in Gothenburg, 2006.-Career:...		8:14.47
	Eliseo Martín Eliseo Martín Eliseo Martín Omenat is an Aragonese Spanish long-distance runner who specializes in 3000 metres steeplechase.-Achievements:-Personal bests:*1500 metres - 3:40.96 min *3000 metres - 7:50.71 min...		8:16.51	SB
10	Tareq Mubarak Taher Tareq Mubarak Taher Tareq Mubarak Taher, born as Dennis Kipkurui Sang , is a middle distance runner who represents Bahrain after changing nationality from Kenya. His special distance is the 3000 metres steeplechase...		8:17.08
11	Benjamin Kiplagat Benjamin Kiplagat Benjamin Kiplagat ia a Ugandan long-distance runner specializing in the 3000 metres steeplechase.-Achievements:-Personal bests:* 1500 m – 3:38.86 * 3000 m – 7:46.50...		8:17.82
12	Abubaker Ali Kamal Abubaker Ali Kamal Abubaker Ali Kamal is a Qatari runner who has specialized mostly in the 1500 metres and 3000 metres steeplechase.-Achievements:-Personal bests:*800 metres – 1:46.38 min *1500 metres – 3:36.98 min...		8:19.72
13	Ruben Ramolefi Ruben Ramolefi Ruben Ramolefi is a South African runner who specializes in the 3000 metres steeplechase and is currently the South African record holder in 3000 metres steeplechase...		8:32.54
14	Mustafa Mohamed Mustafa Mohamed Mustafa Hassan Mohamed is a Somali-Swedish long-distance runner who mainly competes in the 3000 meter steeplechase.-Biography:Born in Mogadishu, Somalia, Mohamed moved to Sweden at the age of 11...		8:35.77

} ||align=left| Jamel Chatbi

Jamel Chatbi

Jamel Chatbi is a Moroccan athlete who specialises in the 3000 metres steeplechase.Based in Northern Italy, Chatbi began competing in 2006 and finished third in the Tutta Dritta 10km that year...

||align=left| || || DNS
|}

Key: AR = Area record, CR = Championship record, DNS = Did not start, PB = Personal best, SB = Seasonal best