3,000m Steeplechase: Birech stumbles, but still qualifies for tomorrow's final

ATHLETICS-WORLD-2017 (L-R) Kenya's Jairus Kipchoge Birech and Morocco's Soufiane Elbakkali through the water jump in the heats of the men's 3,000m steeplechase athletics event at the 2017 IAAF World Championships at the London Stadium in London on August 6, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Adrian DENNIS

Kenya has won the last five world 3,000m steeplechase titles and going to the final tomorrow, Olympics champion Conseslus Kipruto wants to stretch it to the sixth victory.

Kipruto, who has been struggling with an ankle injury this season, won the third heat in 8:23.80 to progress to the final.

In contrast to Beijing in 2015, when Kenyan athletes won all three heats en route to sweeping the medals, the east African nation did not enjoy the smoothest of starts to its 3000m steeplechase campaign at the IAAF World Championships London 2017.

Even the Olympic champion admitted as much, but sounded positive ahead of the final.

"It is going to be a tough race. Jager (USA), Moroccan Soufiane Elbakkali, and fellow Kenyans all make for a tough field. I have been struggling with an injury, that is why I have been taking it easy," said Kipruto.

Ezekiel Kemboi, who is looking for his fifth world title in London, and Jairus Birech, the former two-time Diamond League trophy winner, entered the final only as a non-automatic qualifier after a sixth place finish while 2007 gold medallist Brimin Kipruto failed to make the final after finishing seventh in heat three.

Birech made the final in a non-automatic qualifying spot in fifth (8:23.84), as he was run out of the top three on the final lap after falling at the penultimate water jump.

Olympic silver medallist Evan Jager of USA got his World Championships campaign off to a good start, winning the second heat in 8:20.36. As the fastest athlete in the world in 2017, the 28-year-old will be bidding to become the first US steeplechaser to collect a World Championships medal in tomorrow's final.

Soufiane Elbakkali – the third fastest in the world this year– won the first heat in 8:22.60.