3,000 metres Steeplechase, Men

In 1980 Poland’s Bronisław Malinowski had won steeplechase gold, but since that time, the event had been dominated by Kenya, with nine consecutive titles and 18 medals, twice sweeping the podium. However, for the first time in memory a Kenyan was not favored as Track & Field News picked Moroccan Soufiane El-Bakkali to win. El-Bakkali had been fourth in Rio and had won silver and bronze, respectively, at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships. He was also the only entrant with a sub-8 minute personal best, and again emphasizing that Kenya was no longer as dominant, his biggest challengers were expected to come from Ethiopia, which had never emphasized the event, and was led by year list leader Lamecha Girma.

Both El-Bakkali and Girma qualified easily for the final. As a light rain fell, the early pace in the final was set by Girma and his teammate Getnet Wale, running at the front alongside Kenyans Benjamin Kigen and Abraham Kibiwot, as El-Bakkali ran in the middle of the pack. On the penultimate lap, El-Bakkali surged past the Kenyans coming off the water jump and was trailing only the two Ethiopians. He caught Wale on the backstretch and passed Girma just before the final water jump. El-Bakkali continued to stretch out his lead on the run-in and won gold comfortably in 8:08.90. Girma took the silver in 8:10.38, also well clear of third place, as Kigen won the bronze (8:11.45).