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One of the most fun and difficult events in Turkey Athletics It is a steeplechase with its barriers and water obstacles that are not at all different from those in horse racing from which it takes its name.
Beginning in the 18th century in Ireland, horses and riders raced from one town steeple to another for their visibility over long distances, with competitors navigating the countryside across various obstacles along the way. The world’s most famous steeplechase, now fought on a track, is the Grand National, held in Liverpool, England since 1839.
Track and field event can be traced back to the two-mile cross country races held at Oxford University in the mid-19th century. A track event with hurdles was held at the 1879 British Championships. The men’s steeplechase has been an Olympic event since 1920, but with varying distances before it was standardized at the 3,000m. The women’s 3,000m steeplechase first appeared at the 2008 Beijing Games.
On the track, competitors have to overcome 28 fixed barriers and seven water jumps. In addition to strength and endurance, the best hurdlers, unlike horses, also require superior agility.
The hurdles in steeplechase are wider and more stable than hurdles in track and field. Unlike these races, athletes can step on barriers. The height of each barrier is 36 inches for men and 30 inches for women.
The water jump includes an obstacle and a waterhole that is 12 square feet and 70 centimeters, or more than two feet at its deepest. Athletes try to jump farther to avoid the water to maintain their speed. The water jump is not part of the oval course; located inside or outside the second bend of the track (in Tokyo it is inside).
Unlike some other track events, steeplechase does not require athletes to stay in their lane. Instead, they can break for the inside lane immediately after a mass takeoff.
One of the most famous mishaps in Olympic history occurred during the steeplechase at the 1932 Los Angeles Games. Officials forgot the number of laps and athletes ran approximately 3,460 meters.
While not quite as dramatic, the events at the Tokyo Games did not disappoint.
On Wednesday, Ugandan Peruth Chemutai won the gold medal in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase with a time of 9 minutes 1.45 seconds. Courtney Frerichs, 28, of Nixa, Mo. won silver in 9:04.79 and Hyvin Kiyeng of Kenya won bronze in 9:05.39.
Two days ago, Moroccan Soufiane El Bakkali took the gold in 8:08.90 to win the first non-Kenyan Olympic gold in the men’s category since Poland’s Bronislaw Malinowski became champion in Moscow in 1980. Ethiopian Lamecha Girma finished second. With a time of 8:10.38, Kenyan Benjamin Kigen was third with a time of 8:11.45.
Since the 1968 Olympics, the men’s steeplechase has been dominated by Kenyan athletes, who have won gold medals at every Game except the games they boycotted in 1976 in Montreal and 1980 in Moscow, and a clean medal at the 1992 and 2004 Games.
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