Lamecha Girma, one of the favorites, carted off on a stretcher after nasty fall on the last lap of 3000m Steeplechase final
The Ethiopian 3000m steeplechase athlete tripped on a hurdle as he was jumping and took a hard fall on his back.
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Lamecha Girma (via Athletics Podium)
The men’s 3000m steeplechase race witnessed a scary moment that resulted in a loud crowd at Stade de France becoming silent. After the race kicked off, it was Ethiopian star Lamecha Girma who suffered a scary fall and had to be taken off the track on a stretcher. He took a hard fall as he attempted to jump past a barrier on the backside on the last lap.
Lamecha Girma had his competitors right beside him as he attempted to clear the hurdle. As he jumped, his right knee came in contact with the barrier resulting in him falling directly onto his upper body. After the fall, Girma rolled onto his stomach and lay down as the race concluded.
It was an unfortunate end to Girma’s attempt to secure the gold as he was inching closer to gaining the lead. He took a significantly hard fall landing right on his back. Girma gave the fans a scare as he stopped moving for a moment. Medics at the venue rushed to attend to him and helped him back up.
Lamecha Girma won the Silver in the 3000m Steeplechase at the Tokyo Olympics
The Ethiopian athlete was one of the favorites for a podium finish. Fans were banking on him to replicate his success in Tokyo or improvise upon it and secure a gold medal. Despite his race coming to a devastating end, Girma left the stadium amidst cheers from fans who gave him a standing ovation in the true spirit of sportsmanship.
Girma is an accomplished athlete. He holds the world record for the fastest 3000m steeplechase clocking in at 7:52.11 in Paris last year. In addition, he bagged the indoor record with a time of 7:23.81. The missing feather in his cap is an Olympic gold medal, which he was in pursuit of in the Paris Olympics, however, it did not go his way.
Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco successfully defended his title as he finished the race in a timeframe of 8:06.05. Kenneth Rooks of America bagged the silver medal and Abraham Kibiwot of Kenya came in third place and earned a bronze medal for his country. Despite this setback, the hope is for Lamecha Girma to come back and successfully conclude his quest for an Olympic gold in 2028.
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Sumedh Joshi
(2246 Articles Published)