Paris 2024 Olympics - Athletics - Men's 3000m Steeplechase Final - Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France - August 07, 2024. Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco celebrates after winning gold. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier
PARIS (Reuters) -Soufiane El Bakkali retained his Olympic men's 3,000 metres steeplechase title to deliver Morocco's first medal of the Games on Wednesday after Ethiopian world record holder Lamecha Girma suffered a late fall.
El Bakkali clocked a time of eight minutes 6.05 seconds as American Kenneth Rooks took silver in 8:06.41 and Kenya's Abraham Kibiwot claimed bronze.
The Moroccan held his arms out wide as he crossed the finish to become the first back-to-back winner of the event since Finland's Volmari Iso-Hollo in 1932 and 1936, adding to a trophy case that includes two world titles.
El Bakkali waited in the middle of the pack for much of the race before making his move with about 300 metres to go, chasing down Girma who was flying through the field.
The pair looked set for an epic duel when the race took a jarring turn when Girma hit the barrier and landed hard on the track where he remained motionless.
El Bakkali chased down Rooks over the final turn before the American produced a personal best to claim the surprise silver.
Medical staff ran on to tend to Girma as he lay on the track after the race concluded and he was carried off on a stretcher.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery, editing by Ed Osmond)
