Kemboi finally gets his Gold

Submitted by editor on 18 August 2009 - 11:57pm
Newly-crowned men's world 3000m steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi

Kenya's Ezekiel Kemboi stormed home in a new championship record of 8:00.43 to finally win the elusive gold in the men's 3000m steeplechase at the 12th IAAF World Athletics Championships in Berlin.

Kemboi won Olympic gold in 2004, but had never managed to top a podium at the Worlds Championships coming second in 2003, 2005 and 2007.

Olympic bronze medallist Richard Kipkemboi Mateelong of Kenya takes silver in a personal best 8:00.89, with Bouabdellah Tahri of France taking bronze in 8:01.18, a new European record, ahead of another Kenyan Paul Kipsiele Koech, as France, for the second time in as many years, denied Kenya a steeplechase sweep at a major championship.

At the Beijing Olympics last year, another Frenchman Mahiedine Mekhissi-Bennabad sneaked onto the podium between Kenya's gold medallist Brimin Kipruto and bronze medallist Mateelong.

"I am very satisfied today, I won a silver medal. And again, I achieved a new PB. Our tactics was to stay together as long as possible. With only 50m to go, I had to let go Kemboi. But believe me, I am really rejoicing, said Kemboi.

"It is a great time for me here in Berlin. In 2003 I took silver in Paris, I took silver also in 2005 in Helsinki and in Osaka 2007 it was also silver, now it is golden Berlin. I stayed patient and I reached my target.

"My family supported me a lot and also my coach Moses Kiptanui. I knew that French runners were strong and it could have been even two medals for France. But I am glad we managed it with Mateelong."

About him wearing the Barcelona FC jersey, Kemboi noted: "I changed my T- shirt for the Spanish footbal dress. But I cannot say that I have some favorite footbal team. In every country I support different team."

Shockingly, Kenya's defending world champion and 2008 Olympic champion Brimin Kipruto faded away and finished seventh in 8:12.61 obviously suffering some discomfort.

Earlier, Morocco's Jamal Chatbi had withdrawn from the World Championship men's steeplechase final after testing positive for Clenbuterol in a doping test after the heats.

Meanwhile, Kenya's Olympic 800 metres women's champion Pamela Jelimo's hopes of adding world gold end in Berlin as she pulls up in her semi-final at the World Championships.