The men's 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2004 Summer Olympics as part of the athletics program were held at the Athens Olympic Stadium from August 21 to 24. The athletes competed in a three-heat qualifying round in which the top three from each heat, together with the six fastest losing runners, were given a place in the final race. The winning margin was 0.30 seconds.
Ezekiel Kemboi Cheboi is a Kenyan professional athlete, winner of the 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2004 Summer Olympics, the 2009 World Championships, the 2011 World Championships, the 2012 Summer Olympics, the 2013 World Championships and the 2015 World Championships. His 3000 m steeplechase best of 7:55.76 set at Monaco in 2011 places him as the seventh fastest of all time. This time is also the fastest non-winning time in history. He is one of only five men to have won both Olympic and World golds in the event, along with Reuben Kosgei, Brimin Kipruto, Conseslus Kipruto and Soufiane El Bakkali. He and El Bakkali are the only multiple gold medalists in both. He is the only athlete to have won four world championships in the steeplechase. He is one of only three athletes to have won two Olympic titles in the event; the other two being Volmari Iso-Hollo and Soufiane El Bakkali.
The 3000 metres steeplechase or 3000-meter steeplechase is the most common distance for the steeplechase in track and field. It is an obstacle race over the distance of the 3000 metres, which derives its name from the horse racing steeplechase.
Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad is a retired French professional middle-distance runner of Algerian descent who mainly competed in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He is the only man to win three Olympic steeplechase medals, claiming silver in 2008 and 2012 and bronze in 2016. He also won two bronze medals at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in 2011 and 2013. Mekhissi-Benabbad earned titles at five consecutive editions of the European Athletics Championships between 2010 and 2018.
The Men's 3000 metres steeplechase event at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Daegu Stadium on August 29 & September 1.
The men's 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2013 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Luzhniki Stadium on 12 and 15 August.
The women's 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2013 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Luzhniki Stadium on 10–13 August.
The men's 3000 metres steeplechase competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was held at the Olympic Stadium between 15–17 August.
The men's 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2015 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Beijing National Stadium on 22 and 24 August.
The women's 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2015 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Beijing National Stadium on 24 and 26 August.
Soufiane El Bakkali is a Moroccan middle-distance runner who specializes in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He is a two-time Olympic champion, having won gold in the event at both the 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Olympics. He has also achieved significant success at the World Athletics Championships, securing back-to-back gold medals in 2022 and 2023. El Bakkali was also the 2022 Diamond League champion in his specialist event and is known for breaking Kenya's decades-long dominance in the steeplechase.
The men's 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics was held at the London Olympic Stadium on 6 and 8 August.
The women's 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics was held at the London Olympic Stadium on 9 and 11 August.
The men's 3000 metres steeplechase event at the 2020 Summer Olympics took place on 30 July and 2 August 2021 at the Japan National Stadium. 45 athletes competed.
The men's 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2019 World Athletics Championships was held at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha from 1 to 4 October 2019.
The women's 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2019 World Athletics Championships was held at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, from 27 to 30 September 2019.
Lamecha Girma is an Ethiopian athlete who specialises in the 3,000 metres steeplechase. He is the 2020 Tokyo Olympic silver medallist in the event and won silver medals at the 2019, 2022 and 2023 World Athletics Championships. Lamecha also won a silver in the 3,000 metres at the 2022 World Indoor Championships. He is the world indoor record holder for the 3,000 metres, which was set in February 2023. In June 2023 at the Meeting de Paris of the Diamond League, he broke the world record for the men's 3,000 metres steeplechase.
The women's 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2022 World Athletics Championships was held at the Hayward Field in Eugene on 16 and 20 July 2022.
The men's 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2023 World Athletics Championships was held at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest from 19 to 22 August 2023.
The men's 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2024 Summer Olympics was held in four rounds at the Stade de France in Paris, France, on 5 and 7 August 2024. This was 24th time that the men's 3000 metres steeplechase was contested at the Summer Olympics. A total of 36 athletes were able to qualify for the event by entry standard or ranking.
