3000m Steeplechase Athletes to Watch (Men & Women Top Contenders)
After the coronavirus pandemic cancelled or delayed the majority of the 2020 season, the Tokyo Olympics have been rescheduled for 2021. Steeplechase was an event that definitely struggled in 2020, as the results were not nearly up to par compared to previous years. With all of the new hurdles (no pun intended) added for these athletes, some new names may emerge on the podium in 2021.
Men
On the men’s side, only one athlete in 2020 would have finished in the Top 10 in 2019. That athlete was Soufiane El Bakkali who ran a time of 8:08.04. In 2016, the Olympic final was full of excitement including early retirements, disqualifications, and then athletes unretiring. We can only hope that Tokyo 2021 will be full of the same excitement.
Conseslus Kipruto was the Olympic champion in 2016 and has won two world championships since his Olympic win in 2017 and 2019. He is 14th all-time in the 3000m Steeple with a personal best of 8:00.12 and there has only been one performance faster than him since his personal best. In 2020, Kipruto only raced in one 1500m race but did not finish. However, with his resume, Kipruto is known to perform on the big stages and should be considered the favorite heading into Tokyo.
Soufiane El Bakkali is the next athlete on this list. With a personal best of 7:58.15, he sits 10th on the all-time list. In 2016, it is worth noting that between the heats and the final of the 3000m Steeplechase, there were only two days between the races. However, in 2021 there will be four days from the July 31st heats to the August 3rd finals. This could work in the advantage of Soufiane who finished 4th (5th without the disqualification). With his lethal kick, he may be able to perform even better with additional rest.
Lamecha Girma is the up and coming star in the event after a breakout season in 2020. From 2018 to 2019, he dropped his 3000m Steeple time from 8:46 to 8:01 to finish 2nd in the World Championships in Doha. The young Ethiopian runner will only be 20 years old when he takes the line in Tokyo, so there are questions as to how he will handle his new role as a star. In 2020, Girma won a 1500m race in Switzerland, but failed to finish in the top 3 in any other race, including a DNF in the 5000m. With all of the obstacles in 2020, it is understandable to have a rocky season, but the question now remains how he will bounce back in 2021.
Women
On the women’s side, 2020 saw the worst drop off in time since 2015, with over 10 seconds from the top time in 2020 compared to any year since then. Hyvin Kiyeng led the world in 2020 with a time of 9:06.14. This was the 3rd consecutive year that a Kenyan athlete led the world in this event. However, it is her teammate who will be the favorite heading into Tokyo.
Beatrice Chepkoech is the clear favorite heading into Tokyo. Her personal best in the event is 8:44.32, which is the top time run all-time by over 8 seconds. This has not gone without speculation considering the women’s 3000m steeplechase is an event that has had cheats in the past. Both the 2012 and 2016 Olympic champions in the event have served doping bans. Since her break out performance in 2018, she has regressed from this time but not in her results. She won the World Continental Cup in 2018, as well as the World Championship at Doha 2019. 2020 was not her strongest year, so all eyes should be on her in early competitions to see what 2021 will look like for her.
Emma Coburn is the next on our list. She has a lifetime personal best of 9:02.35 but has had success nonetheless. With an Olympic bronze, a world championship silver, and a 2017 world championship gold, she knows how to perform in championship races. Coburn raced in a variety of races in 2020 ranging from the 800m to the half marathon. She will be an athlete to watch out for with her Olympic experience from 2012 and 2016 and will likely want to finish strong in what may be her last Olympic games.
Norah Jeruto is the final athlete on our list. In 2018 she ran her personal best in the event with a time of 8:59.62, good enough for 5th on the all-time list. In 2020 she opted to run the 10,000m three times with a first place finish and two 3rd place finishes. Jeruto has not raced in the steeplechase in a championship event since 2011 at the U18 World Championships in the 2000m steeple and in any championship event since 2016 at the African Championships where she finished 1st. However, she does have two Diamond League wins and has the time to have a shot at an Olympic medal.
What do you think of our list? Leave a comment below with who you think will win the Men’s and Women’s Steeplechase at Tokyo 2021.