Kemboi re-writes history books with fourth 3,000m steeplechase title

Ezekiel Kemboi of Kenya dances with his country's flag around his waist after winning the men's 3000 metres steeplechase final during the15th IAAF World Championships at the National Stadium in Beijing

Ezekiel Kemboi made history as he struck his fourth win in 3,000m steeplechase at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Beijing, China, last evening.

Kemboi produced a thrilling performance to anchor Kenya into top spot in the medal standings with six medals –two gold, two silver and two bronze medals.

But the brilliant showing by the four Kenyans – Kemboi, silver medalist Conseslus Kipruto, bronze medalist Brimin Kipruto and fourth-placed Jairus Kipchoge Birech – saw them enter the pantheon of water and barriers greats who orchestrated podium sweeps.

Wilson Boit Kipketer led Moses Kiptanui and Bernard Barmasai as they staged a 1-2-3 sweep in Athens (1997) before Brimin Kipruto anchored Kemboi and Richard Mateelong into another clean sweep in Osaka in 2007.

Kenya got a clean sweep of the medals for the third time ever in this event, but they also filled the first four places, a feat only achieved twice before – by the USA in the 2005 men's 200m and Ethiopia in the women's 5000m the same year – in IAAF World Championships history.

Kemboi's tongue-wagging victory, the jig and warning shot he fired to his challengers turned the event into a showstopper even as he atoned for finishing in seventh place at the same Birds Nest Stadium in 2008 – which stands out as his poorest show in the water and barriers race.

With two Olympic titles and four world crowns in seven world championships to his name – and three worlds silvers and three medals at the Commonwealth Games as bonus –makes Kemboi the world's greatest steeplechaser of all time; just ahead of his coach Moses Kiptanui.

Kemboi won in 8:11.28. Conseslus Kipruto (8:12.38), Brimin Kipruto (8:12.54) and the fastest man in the world for the last two years and 2014 Diamond Race winner Jairus Kipchoge Birech (8:12.62) completed a 1-2-3-4 sweep for Kenya. Daniel Huling (8:14.39) and Evan Jager (8:15.47) returned fifth and sixth.

Kemboi said: "I dedicate the win to musician Jaguar, Nairobi senator Mike Sonko and Ida Odinga, wife of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga who was celebrating her birthday yesterday."

Brimin Kipruto said the race went as per plan. "We planned that we will compete as a team but go for medals as individuals," he said.

Conseslus Kipruto, the 2013 World silver medalist, toyed with the field through the first kilometre in 2:49.50 and then increased the pace slightly to reach 2000m in 5:36.77 – certainly not super-fast. The race lit up in earnest with two laps to go with most of the field still within striking distance.

Kipruto was then joined at the front by the US hopeful and North American record holder Evan Jager and with 500 metes to go, the latter burst to the fore and looking like he might lift the USA's first medal ever at the event.

Kemboi, at 33 the oldest man in the field, raced to victory before pointing at his head with both hands to indicate that he was still the ruler of the water and barriers race.