The 2016 World U20 Champion, Amos Kirui took the top honors at the Meeting International de Marseille, a World Athletics Continental Tour silver level meeting, held at the Pierre-Delort Stadium in Marseille, France.
The 24 year-old who came to this race with a life time best of 8:08.37 that he got at the Roma Golden Gala in 2017 lived to his expectations as he thrashed a strong field that included the 2016 African Champion, Chala Beyo who wrote history as the first non-Kenyan to win that title since Brahim Boulami in 2002 and Mehdi Belhadj from France.
Kirui who is also the 2017 Kenyan cross-country champion, changed the race dynamics as he pulled away from the leading group to cut the tape in a season best of 8:14.63 with Hichem Bouchicha from Algeria who came to this race with the fourth fastest time on paper pulling a surprise when he came home in second in 8:22.71. France’s Louis Gilavert closed the podium three finishes in a season best of 8:25.72.
Morocco’s Abderrafia Bouassel finished in fourth in a personal best of 8:27.00 with Istvan Palkovits setting a new Hungary Under 23 National Record of 8:27.06.
LEADING RESULTS
3000M MEN STEEPLECHASE
- Amos Kirui (KEN) 8:14.63 SB
- Hichem Bouchicha (ALG) 8:22.71
- Louis Gilavert (FRA) 8:25.72 SB
- Abderrafia Bouassel (MOR) 8:27.00 PB
- Istvan Palkovits (HUN) 8:27.06 NU23R
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