During Heat 3 of the men's 3000m steeplechase race, the world record holder Lamecha Girma took a hard fall at the end of the race, remaining face down on the track in Stade de France, before medical aides helped put him in a stretcher and rushed the Olympian to the hospital.
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The 23-year-old from Ethiopia was put in a neck brace, while the crowd was stunned at what transpired. As it appeared on the TV broadcast, Girma tripped over the last hurdle, which caused him to take the tumble, resulting in an awkward landing.
Coming into the race, Girma was one of the favorites, as he won a silver medal at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo. In addition, he also took home silver in three world championships (2019, 2022, and 2023).
According to updated reports, Girma regained consciousness soon after, and he was able to speak, and has been at the hospital for assessment. His coach Teshome Kebede noted that he is in "good condition."
Coach Teshome Kebede said "Lamecha Girma is in good condition.” pic.twitter.com/EUDb06pc65
— Aman (@angasurunning) August 8, 2024
The young athlete certainly has a bright future, as he came onto the scene as a teenager, and will hope to bounce back at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
As for the results of the race, it was a photo finish, Morocco's Soufiane El Bakkali won gold with a time of 8:06.05, while the American Kenneth Rooks finished in 8:06.41 to win silver, and Kenya's Abraham Kibiwot got bronze, crossing the finish line right behind at 8:06.47.
WOW!
Kenneth Rooks just won SILVER in the men’s 3000m steeplechase in a STUNNER. 🤯 #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/PIM2gcvY47
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024
Related: French Olympian Alice Finot Proposed To Her BF After Breaking European Record In Steeplechase Race
