PARIS: Moroccan superstar Soufiane El Bakkali Wednesday became the first athlete to win back-to-back 3,000m steeplechase gold medals at the Olympic Games since 1932.
Bakkali delivered the goods at Paris 2024 against a stacked field that included world record-holder Lamecha Girma of Ethiopia. The 28-year-old athlete won a sprint finish to the line in a time of eight minutes, 06.05 seconds (8:06.05) with Kenneth Rooks of the United States finishing second in 8:06.41. Kenya’s Abraham Kibiwot rounded out the podium in 8:06.47.
Girma jumped the barrier in the back straight but fell to the track and was later stretchered away. The Ethiopians led by Girma set the early pace while Bakkali was happy to take a backseat. With two laps to go the field was still bunched together and it was only at the bell that the contenders made their move.
Rooks pulled ahead in the backstretch before Girma crashed over the third last barrier with the American, Bakkali and Kibiwot getting embroiled in a three-way battle for gold. Gritting his teeth, Bakkali pulled ahead as he approached the final barrier before stepping up a gear leaving Rooks and Kibiwot behind to battle for silver and bronze. Bakkali crossed the line with his arms outstretched in triumph as he added a second Olympic gold to his two world titles.
Nina Kennedy won Australia’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in the women’s pole vault on Wednesday. The last time Kennedy won a pole vault competition she shared the spoils with defending Olympic champion Katie Moon of the United States. At last year’s world championships in Budapest, Kennedy and Moon agreed to share the title after both had reached 4.90m.
But the 27-year-old Kennedy made sure she had sole ownership of the Olympic gold as the only vaulter to clear 4.90m. Moon had to be content with silver on count back at 4.85m with Canada’s Alysha Newman setting a national record at the same height.
Kennedy hardly skipped a beat on her triumphant night with a missed attempt at 4.70m a minor blemish en route to gold. She sailed over the bar on the first attempt at heights of 4.80m, 4.85m and 4.90m.
Moon missed at 4.90m and asked to pass on her second attempt at this height before two failures at 4.95m to settle for silver. Roje Stona of Jamaica set a new Olympic record men’s discus throw just minutes after Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna had done so.
The Jamaican claimed Olympic gold with a 70.00m effort in round four after Alekna had hurled a 69.97 effort in the second round. It’s not only the first Olympic gold for Jamaica in the event, it’s also Jamaica’s first gold at Paris 2024 and the first Olympic medal of any colour in men’s discus at the Games.
Australian Matthew Denny claimed the bronze medal, his 69.31m effort in the second round sealing his first Olympic medal. Reigning Olympic and world champion Daniel Stahl of Sweden finished in seventh place, while the 2023 world silver medallist Kristjan Ceh claimed fourth place.
Stona, who competed collegiately in the U.S. for both Clemson and Arkansas, is coached by three-time and reigning Olympic shot put champion Ryan Crouser, who told reporters after his win earlier in the week he was set to focus on the Jamaican’s preparation for the discus event. Stona becomes the first non-European to claim the Olympic title in men’s discus.