Athletics at the 1968 Summer Olympics – Men's 3000 metres steeplechase

Last updated

Contents

Men's 3000 metres steeplechase
at the Games of the XIX Olympiad
Venue Estadio Olímpico Universitario
DatesOctober 14 (heats)
October 16 (final)
Competitors39 from 22 nations
Winning time8:51.02
Medalists
Gold medal icon.svg Amos Biwott
Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya
Silver medal icon.svg Benjamin Kogo
Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya
Bronze medal icon.svg George Young
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
  1964
1972  
Video on YouTube @ 7:10 Official Video TV-icon-2.svg
Video on YouTube @ 7:10 Official Video

The men's 3000 metres steeplechase was the only steeplechase on the Athletics at the 1968 Summer Olympics program in Mexico City. It was held on 14 October and 16 October 1968. [1]

Four years earlier, Benjamin Kogo was the only Kenyan in the field, not making it out of the qualifying round. On the final lap, Kogo was in third place and his teammate was back in fifth behind Soviet Aleksandr Morozov with 200 metres to go. George Young had a few metres lead on Kerry O'Brien. In the 50 metres going into the water jump, Kogo passed O'Brien and pulled even with Young. Kogo took that water jump so much faster than Young, he gained a foot and had the momentum to carry him several metres into the lead. Young was straining to hold off O'Brien over the final barrier. O'Brien even checked over his left shoulder to make sure Morozov was not coming. Simultaneously Biwott was about to pass him on right. Biwott took the hurdle awkwardly, almost landing on both feet. But Biwott had more speed, leaving O'Brien and Young and then sprinting past Kogo on to a three-metre victory.

Since this 1-2 victory, Kenya has gone on to dominate the event in the Olympics. Except for the two boycott years of 1976 and 1980, Kenya has won more than 2/3 of all medals offered, usually going 1-2 and sweeping the event twice.

Results

Round One

The first rounds were held on October 14. The fastest four athletes in each of the three heats advanced to the Final Round.

Heat One

RankNameNationalityTimeNotes
1 Benjamin Kogo Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 8:57.80Q
2 Javier Álvarez Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg  Spain 9:03.74Q
3 Bengt Persson Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 9:06.43Q
4 Arne Risa Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 9:07.31Q
5 John Jackson Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 9:11.33
6 Conrad Nightingale Flag of the United States.svg  United States 9:13.23
7 Tadesse Wolde-Medhin Flag of Ethiopia (1897-1974).svg  Ethiopia 9:13.24
8 Manuel de Oliveira Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 9:19.22
9 Klaus-Ludwig Brosius Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  West Germany 9:23.98
10 János Szabó Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 9:25.82
11 Pedro Miranda Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 9:25.95
12 Domingo Amaizón Flag of Argentina (1861-2010).svg  Argentina 9:43.06
Larbi Oukada Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco DNF

Heat Two

RankNameNationalityTimeNotes
1 Jean-Paul Villain Flag of France.svg  France 9:01.12Q
2 George Young Flag of the United States.svg  United States 9:01.49Q
3 Kerry O'Brien Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 9:02.31Q
4 Viktor Kudinskiy Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 9:05.25Q
5 Willi Wagner Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  West Germany 9:24.49
6 Labidi Ayachi Flag of Tunisia (1959-1999).svg  Tunisia 9:24.62
7 Nobuyoshi Miura Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan 9:32.95
8 Maurice Herriott Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 9:34.68
9 Albertino Etchechury Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay 9:35.61
10 Eddy Van Butsele Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 9:38.79
11 Jan Cych Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland 9:50.78
12 Hans Menet Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland 10:02.06
13 Efraín Cordero Flag of El Salvador.svg  El Salvador 11:19.23
AC Mariano Haro Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg  Spain [9:15.93]DQ

Heat Three

RankNameNationalityTimeNotes
1 Amos Biwott Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 8:49.39Q
2 Mikhail Zhelev Flag of Bulgaria (1967-1971).svg  Bulgaria 9:01.96Q
3 Gaston Roelants Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 9:08.29Q
4 Aleksandr Morozov Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 9:08.45Q
5 Bill Reilly Flag of the United States.svg  United States 9:10.35
6 Peter Welsh Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 9:13.80
7 Gareth Bryan-Jones Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 9:16.86
8 Jan-Erik Karlsson Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 9:19.64
9 Taketsugu Saruwatari Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan 9:26.30
10 Heinz-Gerd Mölders Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  West Germany 9:32.22
11 Umberto Risi Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 9:43.97
12 Julio Quevedo Flag of Guatemala.svg  Guatemala 9:48.37
AC Guy Texereau Flag of France.svg  France DNF

Final

The final was held on October 16. Biwott amazed the crowd leaping over the water jump using long jump-type technique, completely clearing the water. His barrier technique was also unique and he jumped with both feet together rather than in a hurdling technique. Benjamin Kogo led the final thru the kilometer but at the bell George Young joined him. Young took the lead with 300 to go, but Biwott ran down everybody in the final straight to win the gold medal. This began the Kenyan dominance of the steeplechase event.

RankNameNationalityTimeNotes
Gold medal icon.svg Amos Biwott Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 8:51.02
Silver medal icon.svg Benjamin Kogo Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 8:51.56
Bronze medal icon.svg George Young Flag of the United States.svg  United States 8:51.86
4 Kerry O'Brien Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 8:52.08
5 Aleksandr Morozov Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 8:55.61
6 Mikhail Zhelev Flag of Bulgaria (1967-1971).svg  Bulgaria 8:58.41
7 Gaston Roelants Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 8:59.50
8 Arne Risa Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 9:08.98
9 Jean-Paul Villain Flag of France.svg  France 9:16.27
10 Bengt Persson Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 9:20.61
11 Javier Álvarez Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg  Spain 9:24.51
Viktor Kudinskiy Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union DNF

Related Research Articles

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amos Biwott</span> Kenyan athlete

Amos Biwott is a former Kenyan long-distance runner, winner of the 3000 m steeplechase at the 1968 Summer Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenya at the 1968 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Kenya competed at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Mexico. 39 competitors, 36 men and 3 women, took part in 22 events in 4 sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steeplechase (athletics)</span> Obstacle race in athletics

The steeplechase is an obstacle race in athletics which derives its name from the steeplechase in horse racing. The foremost version of the event is the 3000 metres steeplechase. The 2000 metres steeplechase is the next most common distance. In youth athletics, a distance of 1000 metres is occasionally used for steeplechase races.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3000 metres steeplechase</span> Most common distance for the steeplechase in track and field

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.

Benjamin Kogo was a Kenyan athlete who specialised in 3000 metre steeplechase running.

These are the official results of the men's 3000 metres steeplechase event at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. There were a total number of 33 participating athletes, with four qualifying heats.

These are the official results of the Men's 3.000 metres Steeplechase event at the 1991 IAAF World Championships in Tokyo, Japan. There were a total number of 37 participating athletes, with three qualifying heats and the final held on Saturday August 31, 1991.

These are the official results of the Men's 3000 metres Steeplechase event at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. There were a total number of 35 participating athletes, with two semi-finals and three qualifying heats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics – Men's 3000 metres steeplechase</span> Olympic athletics event

The men's 3000 metres steeplechase at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California had an entry list of 35 competitors, with three qualifying heats and two semifinals (24) before the final (12) took place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athletics at the 1980 Summer Olympics – Men's 3000 metres steeplechase</span> Olympic athletics event

The men's 3,000 metres steeplechase event at the 1980 Summer Olympics took place from 26 to 31 July at the Lenin Stadium. A total of 32 athletes competed, with three qualifying heats and two semi-finals (24) before the final (12).

These are the official results of the Men's 3000 metres steeplechase event at the 2003 IAAF World Championships in Paris, France. There were a total number of 36 participating athletes, with three qualifying heats and the final held on Tuesday 2003-08-26 at 21:30h.

The Men's 3000 metres Steeplechase at the 2000 Summer Olympics as part of the athletics programme were held at Stadium Australia on Wednesday 27 September and Friday 29 September 2000. The winning margin was 0.34 seconds.

Tony Manning is a former track and field athlete from Coolah in New South Wales, Australia, who competed in the middle-distance running events. He was born in New South Wales.

The Men's 3000 metres steeplechase competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom. The event was held at the Olympic Stadium on 3–5 August.

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 2017 World Championships in Athletics was held at the London Olympic Stadium on 9 and 11 August.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athletics at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Men's 3000 metres steeplechase</span> Olympic athletics event

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.

References

  1. "Athletics at the 1968 Mexico City: Men's 3,000 metres Steeplechase". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2017.