Kenya’s Conseslus Kipruto kept alive one streak, but USA’s Evan Jager ended another Wednesday morning as they finished 1-2, respectively, in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Rio Olympics.
While Kipruot broke the Olympic record to win gold in 8:03.28, marking his country’s ninth consecutive Olympic victory, Jager’s second-place finish one second behind Kipruto at 8:04.28 was noteworthy for more than a silver medal. It was America’s best finish in the event since 1952.
Horace Ashenfelter won gold in the event at the 1952 Helsinki Games, the last time USA won the steeplechase.
Jager began celebrating the landmark finish some 20 meters from the finish, thrusting his arms upward, a point he told at which he reflected on what the race meant: “The last two years, thinking of that in that moment, thinking of all the hard work, seeing that work come to fruition. It was amazing.”
Jager, who’d pushed the pace by taking over the lead with four laps to go, said he preferred a faster pace to a slower one with a kick. The strategy paid off as he, Kipruto and bronze medalist Ezekiel Kemboi (8:08.47), also of Kenya, emerged from the pack around the home turn and pushed to the finish.
Brian Diemer was the last American to medal in the steeplechase, taking a bronze at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
Meanwhile, Kipruto’s victory means that the Kenyans will take to Tokyo a steeplechase winning streak that dates to the ’84 Olympics. Poland’s Bronisław Malinowski won the event in 1980 in Moscow, but the Kenyans have dominated since.
