Paris 2024: Kenyans seek to stop El Bakkali as they strive to reclaim 3000m steeplechase title

Athletes, including Kenya's Amos Serem, compete in the men's 3000m steeplechase heat of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 5, 2024. [AFP]

Kenyan trio of 3000m steeplechase World Championships bronze medallist Abraham Kibiwott, Amos Serem and Simon Kiprop Koech are on a mission to reclaim the title at the Paris Olympic Games tonight (10.43pm).

Kenya lost their traditional race for the first time in many years to Moroccan Soufiane El Bakkali at the 2020 Tokyo Games where Benjamin Kigen and Kibiwott finished third and tenth respectively.

The race which has been dominated by Kenya since Amos Biwott clinched gold in Mexico City in 1968, was last won by Conseslus Kipruto at Rio 2016 Games.

While Kibiwott and Koech finished third (8:12.02) and fourth (8:24.95) in their respective heats to sail through on Monday, Serem qualified after a successful appeal.

The African Games silver medallist and 2021 World U20 champion was pushed by one of his opponents forcing him to evade the water barrier and step outside before returning to jump over it.

He went on to finish sixth (8:18.41), one spot behind the qualifying positions.

But with El Bakkali chasing history to win back to back Olympic title and pressure also on their backs, Kibiwott feels they must be at their best to bring gold medal back to Kenya.

“Our target was to qualify for the finals, and we are grateful we all managed to do that. Now we are going to plan how to handle the race,” said Kibiwott.

“We know there is a lot of pressure back at home and, the Moroccan and Ethiopian athletes look a bit strong, but we believe in ourselves; one day, one time we will bring the title back.

“We will try and avoid to distance each other and the unnecessary shoves. But we just need to remain focused, and I’m hopeful we will have a good outing.”

Though Kibiwott admitted destruction from social media, he is confident of inspiring the youthful duo to glory.

“Of course we are able to access social media hre, and are seeing a lot of discouraging things there, but we will keep on pushing. Let Kenyans pray for us as we aim to bring steeplechase title back home.”

But Serem and Kiprop seem unfazed and are eager to leave a mark at the Games on their debuts.

“I was pushed by someone and lost focus to jump the barrier in the heats, but that’s now totally behind me. The body is responding well, and I was confident of making it to the final. I’m really excited to be at my first Olympic,” said Serem.

Koech added: “Though it’s my first appearance here, I’m determined to secure a podium finish.

Experience count for nothing, it all depends on how you wake up and handle the race.

“Sometimes, everyone has his own plans but as a team we are going to come up with a strategy that will be beneficial to us.”

Apart from El Bakkali, the Kenyans are also worried of a threat posed by Ethiopia’s world record holder Lamecha Girma.

Meanwhile, Armand Duplantis says the defence of his Olympic pole vault crown in world-record style came as no surprise as he had visualised it a “million times” when practising as a child in his own backyard.

Coached by his American father Greg, a former pole vaulter, Duplantis is a product of a track and field-crazy family which had their own vaulting apparatus in the garden.

They were all present in the stadium and it was to them that Duplantis hurtled after sailing over 6.25 metres with no “pre-canned nonsense”.

“That’s just overflowed with emotions, freaking out,” said Duplantis, the new record improving his previous best by 1cm in front of a delirious 69,000-capacity crowd at the Stade de France on Monday night.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to do it several times now, but every time the feeling is kind of the same. This was a more extreme version.

“When I’m going over the bar it’s like AI (artificial intelligence), it doesn’t feel real. That was more hysteria and freaking out.”

Having started vaulting at the age of four in his backyard on a makeshift runway and landing pad, Duplantis revealed his deja vu moment.

“I’ve visualised this moment a million times in my life. I mean, this is every time I was in my backyard,” he said of his world record vault.

“I would just imagine that the bar was at the world record mark. It was the Olympic final -- that’s pretty much exactly what I visualised.”

Duplantis was happy to bask in the moment and not be drawn into looking too far into the future after his success.

It was the ninth time the Swede had broken the world record, an astonishing achievement given he is still only 24 years old.

The silver medallist on the night, American Sam Kendricks, managed 5.95m, a full 30cm short of Duplantis’ mark. What next for two-time Olympic champion Duplantis, who is also twice world outdoor and indoor gold medallist, three-time European champion and a three-time Diamond League winner?

“Probably one of the moments where I cared least about the future is right now, soaking up this moment right now,” said Duplantis.

“How can I care about anything else? When things align the way they did for me, you’ve got to enjoy those kinds of things.

“I try to enjoy as best as I can.”

Duplantis could have waited until back on the circuit for a tilt at the world record, for which prize money is given, but he chose to attempt it on track and field’s biggest stage.

“The biggest dream since a kid was to break the world record at the Olympics,” he said. [Additional reporting by AFP]