Is Kenya steadily losing its grip on steeplechase

Kenya's Ezekiel Kemboi, left, and United States' Evan Jager compete in the men's 3000-meter steeplechase final during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. [AP Photo/Matt Dunham]

There is an invasion into Kenya’s number one track speciality, the men’s 3000m steeplechase –often billed as a race ‘made in Kenya for Kenyans.’

Kenya recorded three podium sweeps in 1997, 2007 and 2015 as well as striking the 12th gold medal last year in the history of the World Athletics Championships.