Kenya's Amos Serem sneaks into steeplechase final after dramatic finish as Abraham Kibiwott, Simon Koech join him

Kenya's Amos Serem sneaks into steeplechase final after dramatic finish as Abraham Kibiwott, Simon Koech join him

Joel Omotto 21:51 - 05.08.2024

Kenya's Amos Serem nearly bowed out of the Paris Olympics after a poor jump at the penultimate water barrier in the first round while Abraham Kibiwott and Simon Koech easily made it.

Amos Serem experienced a nightmare Olympics as he almost exited the competition in the most brutal way.

Serem was among the leading pack heading into the final lap in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase heat but miscalculated the penultimate water barrier which saw him land awkwardly away from the track.

The athlete was forced to turn back and jump again by which time his rivals had sprinted off.

His attempts to make it into the top five and seal an automatic place in the final proved futile as he missed to finish sixth in what was a disappointing outing.

Serem, however, appealed and was successful, getting a chance to square it out with the rest in the final.

There was no such trouble for Abraham Kibiwott in the second heat as easily qualified after finishing third in 8:12.02 behind Tindouft Mohamed (8:10.62) of Morocco and Samuel Firewu (8:1161) of Ethiopia who finished in first and second positions respectively.

In the third heat, Somon Koech also finished third to seal his place in the final behind Ethiopian Lamecha Girma and American Kenneth Rooks.